A Choice Your Heart Makes
by Rosesdancinginmymind
Summary: Fic prompt from madammayor28: After The Cricket Game, tired of trying to win Henry over, Regina finds a boy in the woods who was an orphan in FTL. She takes him back to her mansion and looks after him eventually adopting. Henry is super jealous. Emma sees a new side to Regina. Eventual SQ. Family fluff. Full prompt inside.
1. Chapter 1

_This story is based off a prompt from madammayor28 who was the 50th reviewer for The (sort of) Accidental Parent Trap:_

I'm tired of Regina always trying to win Henry over, as if he was the victim the events of the Cricket's Game, Regina finds a little boy in the woods, who was an orphan in the Enchanted takes him to the mansion and takes care of him, eventually , Henry and the two idiots find out, and Henry is super jealous. Emma, seeing a new side to Regina, falls for her. Swan Queen and family fluff.

_I'd like to start by thanking them for the idea and this will be eventual SQ with a lot of family fluff. When I planned this out in the totally insane writing part of mind it wound up having several chapters so hopefully that's okay. I don't own Once or its characters. Apologies for any mistakes. Hope you like it :)_

Regina watches slow tear after tear rolling down her reddening cheeks as even after the truth is revealed about Archie he walks away from her again. She moved to hug him expecting him to be glad that she had rescued the cricket from that ship but he just pushed her away the words "You're still the evil queen" spilling from his mouth as he walked back to the sheriff who gave her an apologetic smile at his painful words. That small smile from Emma does nothing to heal the ache in the brunette's heart. She doesn't want pitying smiles from the woman her son chooses over her, she wants her son, who she has loved and cared for since the day he was placed in her arms, to see that she is more than just the evil queen. She understands his anger and his hurt at how she mistreated him, that being the reason she let him go with his grandfather in the first place but that doesn't mean his continued rejection pains her any less. Her heart breaks a little in her chest as the realisation hits her – no matter how hard she tries to be good or how she tries to be a better mother it doesn't matter to Henry. For him it's as if the eight precious years they had together before he found out he was adopted no longer exists having been replaced with stories from a one-sided book that barely even mentioned her reason for hating Snow in the first place. He may not think about them but she does, every second of every day she thinks of her little boy and how he loved her so. She missed that feeling of giving love and having it returned to her. Regina sniffs back a tear feeling her heart ache heavily in her chest as she realises that her son doesn't and may never love her like that again.

_Maybe I should just give him what he wants_ she thinks solemnly. He doesn't want her after all, he wants Emma and her parents. Maybe they'd both be better off she thinks if she just left him alone. _Who would blame him? _She asks herself sadly, _after all who would ever want a former evil queen for a mother when they could they have the saviour?_ Regina swipes angrily at the salty liquid on her cheeks feeling weak and overly vulnerable standing here crying out in the open on the docks, _where Henry left you again_ her thoughts remind her.

She sighs trying to remember the techniques Archie had suggested for when she began to feel the dark self-hating thoughts take over again. Just because Henry doesn't think she can ever be anything but an evil queen doesn't mean she has to give up on herself she thinks _even if you will be alone_. Regina takes a deep breath trying to push the thoughts of loneliness aside when one of the bug's suggestions comes to mind. Yes, she thinks, a nice long walk in the woods will do me some good. After all anything is better than standing here wallowing in thoughts of the son who rejects her love and despises her.

Regina walks carefully over the thick brambles and twigs littering the ground of the woods thinking she probably should have changed out of her heeled boots before starting this little trek. She briefly considers simply using magic to make something more comfortable appear on her already tired feet but stops herself as soon as the faint flicker of purple appears at her fingertips. _No don't throw it all away then_. A promise is still a promise even if the person who asked it of her no longer cares. _Just keep walking, it will take your mind off of it_. She finds her feet magnetically drawn back to the well where she helped bring Snow and Emma back. She shudders thinking of that hideous death curse in her veins and the icy agony of expelling it later alone at her house. The pain of hearing Henry call Emma "Mom" wounded her far worse though for that left a deep sorrow in her heart. She told him when he found out he was adopted that family was a choice your heart makes and even then she thinks sadly as soon as he found out there was another mother out there his heart chose someone else. Shaking her head once more to stop thoughts of Henry and Emma she trudges forward.

She stares up at the blue sky above her and smiles wistfully as she sees birds fly overhead. As a little girl she used to look at birds with such hope, they were free like she never could be. Lost in her thoughts of happiness and freedom she stumbles straight into a tree, "Damnit!" she cries out feeling the sting of blood on her cheek from where the skin scraped up against the wood. Well she thinks I guess that's a sign to go home. As she's about to turn back she pauses hearing a quiet rustling in the bushes.

She steps forward, "Hello?" she asks unsure of who else would be out here and especially so far into these tricky woods.

She hears silence for a few moments and is about to walk away again when the rustling happens again. "Who's there?" again she gets no answer but this time she doesn't wander off. Instead she takes a few steps closer to the moving greenery. "Please don't hurt me" a small voice says so quietly that were Regina not so close by she'd have missed it. Having become used to such a plea she barely flinches but to make whoever is hiding feels better she takes a few steps back, "I won't I promise" she assures even though she has no idea who is about to come out.

After a few seconds of her standing there a small figure emerges from the bush. Regina feels her heart clench sadly at the grubby little boy. She estimates he can be no older than five and from the looks of him he's been out here a while. Why is there no-one with him? She asks herself thinking back to painful memories of her mother dumping her in the woods for days if she misbehaved.

"Hi" the little boy says nervously.

"Hello" she replies, "I'm Regina"

"Liam" he says extending a dirt covered hand. For once she finds herself not caring and takes it her own kneeling down so she can be on his level rather than tower above him. She doesn't want to scare the clearly skittish child.

"What are you doing out here by yourself?" she asks kindly though worried about the answer.

"I live here" he mumbles sadly. She takes in the thin layer of grime covering his skin and the messy untamed nature of her hair and knows instantly that he is telling her the truth. "What about your parents?" she asks hoping he hasn't been out here alone for twenty-eight years.

He sniffs, "Gone" she feels her heart beat guiltily and painfully at the sight of this orphan before her who her curse doomed to fend for himself all these years. She knows that there are other children out there who have lost parents due to her but she made sure none of them were alone in this cursed world. How did this small boy fall through the cracks? She wonders.

She frowns looking up at the gathering dark clouds above them. Regina looks back down at the small boy who has grabbed onto her coat and begun hiding his face fearfully, "Liam are you scared of the storm?" she asks noticing how rain has started to fall, "Yeah" he whimpers from her coat. She knows there is no way she can leave an abandoned child out here in conditions like this, someone should take care of him. Carefully she bends down before extending her arms out to the small child. Regina lets hope work its way back into her heart even if it's a little more tentative this time. Seconds crawl by and like another little boy she knows this one just stares at her hesitantly. The hope begins to dwindle, who was she kidding? Like he'd want to come with her, even out here in the woods he's probably heard stories of the evil queen. Just as she's about to give up again she feels a weight in her arms and sees that the little boy has walked into her arms. "Okay Liam" she says picking him up feeling how he snuggles into her as the clouds darken, "It's okay" she whispers "I'll protect you". He nods into her neck and Regina smiles at his trust in her so soon. A very brave child she thinks knowing that at his age she would never have had the courage to seek comfort in the arms of someone she barely knew. She wonders if she can be enough for this child but then he suddenly tightens his grip on her and she holds him a little securely knowing her heart is opening itself up to the possibility that maybe she can look after someone without hurting them.

"Let's get you home" she says to the small boy who has already managed to work his way inside her battered heart, his tight grasp around her reminding her that right now someone needs her. "Home?" he asks quietly. His sad voice sends a tear snaking down her cheek as she realises that this child has never had one. At his hopeful expression she vows there and then to do her best to provide him a home. "Yes, if it's alright with you I'll take you home with me" she would just take him if he could but she knows from her experience with Henry that holding onto someone too tightly and forcing them to be with you just pushes them away and so this time she asks herself what this child wants rather than simply what she wants.

Liam looks at her for a few moments, his expression unguarded and nervous as he stares at the woman holding him protectively. Back in the Enchanted Forest he had heard tales of an evil queen named Regina and knows that this woman is almost definitely her but somehow looking into the kind almost hopeful expression of this Regina who has only tried to help him not hurt him he can't see the evil queen people spoke fearfully of. Plus he's tired of being cold, scared and alone, maybe with this lady he thinks he can have what he always dreamed of – a home, a true home with a mommy who loves him rather than one who abandoned him. In response to Regina's offer of a home he snuggles into the warmth of her hold, "Yes please"

At his answer the woman smiles brightly before shifting him to cover him with her coat so as to protect him from the rain. After making sure he's comfortable and at least somewhat dry the pair begin to make their way home.

_Let me know what you think. I hope you enjoyed it. Thanks for reading :)_


	2. Chapter 2

_First of all thank you so much for the reception the first chapter of this got! I could barely believe how many reviews and follows it got so quickly so thank you to all of you who made my day by reviewing and following. Thank you again to madammayor28 for the original prompt. I don't own Once or its characters. Apologies for any mistakes. Hope you like this second part :)_

The rain hammers down around the pair, Liam at least is shielded by Regina's coat but it means she is getting somewhat soaked by the persistent downpour. She shivers slightly walking carefully after a near skid in her boots earlier showed her how unwise walking quickly was in such weather. Liam's grip remains tight around her neck as he revels in the safe feeling of being held. She too makes sure her hold is secure so he knows she will not drop him, that he can trust her to protect him.

As the thunder roars they finally make it into town, "Nearly there Liam" she says to him and he nods in her embrace hoping they'll be out of the rain soon. He jumps in her arms as a car horn beeps them.

"Hush it's okay Liam. I've got you" she reassures rubbing his back through her coat as the car rolls to a halt in front of them. She breathes a sigh of relief at seeing who it is. The last thing she needed right now was for an enemy or disgruntled peasant to start accosting her. Granny's head pokes out of the window quickly as she tuts and shakes her head, "Well come on then Regina. I don't have all day"

The brunette nods and begins to step closer to it when Liam turns and sees the vehicle with wide eyes. "W-what's that?" he asks fearful of the strange machine.

"It's a car. It's this land's version of a carriage" she explains in a soft voice ignoring Granny's puzzled expression. "It's loud" he whimpers. "I know" she replies, "But it won't hurt you" his response is to grab her tighter. Regina frowns but begins to slide her way into the car. Her face falls a little as the boy in her arms starts to cry and shake from fear, "Ssh don't worry, I promise I won't let go of you" he nods but continues to tremble slightly. Pulling the seatbelt over them she begins to rock Liam slightly in her arms and hums an old lullaby in the hopes of soothing him. Granny studies the pair of them for a moment and gives Regina a look that tells the younger woman that an explanation will be needed later before driving over to Mifflin Street.

True to her word Regina doesn't let go of Liam. She just rocks him and hums throughout the short drive. After a few minutes he begins to smile. _She kept her promise_ he thinks as he feels her quiet humming begin to lull him into a more relaxed and sleepy state. Part of him wonders what will happen when the storm has passed, _will she just send me back out into the woods?_ At that scary thought he burrows closer to the woman who saved him from the cold and the forest. He doesn't want to go back there. He may not have known her very long and some of the stories he heard about Regina painted a grim picture of the evil queen but he feels safe in her arms. The little boy rests his head over her and chest and lets the sound of the woman's heartbeats soothe him to sleep.

Regina smiles contently as she feels Liam rest atop her chest and go to sleep, glad he feels safe with her. It's been a long time since anyone sought her comfort and she can feel her heart beating happily at the boy's willingness to be held by her. Henry hasn't wanted her soothing hugs or hummed songs since he was eight and god how she had missed this part of motherhood. The feeling of having someone want her and need her, of having someone choose her is one that lets her heart and soul fill with light. She knows Henry barely even tolerates her, she's not even sure he loves her anymore. She loves him but he pushes her away. A happy ending cannot be achieved with someone who rejects and hurts you. _Maybe_ she thinks, _just maybe I can try again at a happy ending with Liam, if he wants to_. She really hopes he does. Even if he doesn't she know she can't let him go back to those woods, he needs someone to care for him and a family to look after him. Regina knows she cannot force him to stay with her – after all that has only brought her loneliness and misery in the past. All she can do is try her very best to take care of him, offer him her love and home and hope that he'll let her be his family.

"Regina" her thoughts are broken by a soft shake at her shoulder. "Sorry" she says sheepishly to Granny, "Thank you for driving us over here" as she gets out of the car Liam stirs sleepily on her shoulders. "Hi" he says shyly to the new woman.

"Hello there" she replies looking at the boy to see if she can recognise him but she certainly doesn't know him from her time in the enchanted forest. "I'm Granny"

"I'm Liam. Is she your Mommy?" he asks Regina.

At the word she pauses trying to push away her tears at the thought before she clears her throat and replies "No, my Mommy went away" it's not technically a lie – after the Archie incident she once again had to banish her mother back to the enchanted forest. She knows this time is different from the first time she got rid of her mother, this time thanks to a special enchantment from Rumple no-one get in to Storybrooke from anywhere. "Oh" Liam says noticing the sadness flicker across Regina's eyes. He frowns, he didn't mean to make her upset "I'm sorry" he says worried this means she'll send him away. At the small flash of sad fear on the boy's face Regina shoots him a reassuring smile, "That's alright Liam. You didn't know. Granny is a friend of mine". The reassurance rather than the rejection he was expecting causes a toothy grin to appear on the boy's face. Regina's smile turns into a truer one as she lets his happiness fuel her own.

"Whoa" Liam gasps upon seeing the house. "This is where you live?" he's never seen a place so big. Regina nods, "It is. Do you want to go inside?"

"Yes please" he wonders if the inside of the house is as big and nice as the outside. Regina smiles at the look of awe on Liam's face as he takes in the spacious foyer of her mansion. Her smile fades slightly as she realises he's only ever known the woods. She takes in his wide eyes scanning the immediate features of the large house and vows to make sure he never goes without a home again. Granny squeezes her arm, "I'll set the pair of you up some dinner while you go get cleaned up"

"Oh no Granny you don't have to do that"

"Nonsense child, go get yourselves sorted out. You both look like you could do with a good meal" she says knowing full well that since Henry left Regina hasn't exactly been looking after herself properly. She watches as the pair walk up the spiral staircase slowly with Regina pointing things out to Liam who takes it all in with wide excited blue eyes. A smile graces the older woman's face as she sees both of them grin, an expression of happiness that has been missing from Regina as of late what with Henry's continued rejection. Maybe this will be good for them both she thinks as she looks through the Mayor's cupboards with a frown.

(Meanwhile)

Regina gently lowers Liam to the floor who stands on the tile shrouded in her coat before starting the bath. Liam regards it curiously watching as she squirts in some of Henry's old bubble bath and seeing it mix in with the water. He laughs as he sees the bubbles appear. "Wow" he says smiling at the older woman who beams back at him. "Watch this" she says before gently placing a finger into the suds and picking up a bubble very carefully. She kneels down in front of him with the bubble before blowing it off her finger and into the air. Liam lifts his hand up and it pops covering his finger with a layer of soapy water. He giggles at her, "Can you do that again?" he asks timidly.

Buoyed by his excitement over such a simple game she nods happily, "Of course" she says repeating the action. The game continues until the bath fills. "Okay let's get you cleaned up"

He shifts nervously, "I have to pee" he mumbles quietly. "Oh" she replies remembering that he is unused to these amenities. "Okay it's this one" she says directing him to the toilet. After quickly explaining to him how to use it she leaves so he can have some privacy. "You can come back now" he says once he's done.

She steps back in with a smile, "All done?" he nods. "Okay once you're finished you have to flush it. This button." She points to it and when he doesn't move she adds, "You have to push it" she says before gently picking up his hand and helping him do so. He lets out a loud gasp as he watches the flush work. "That was so cool" he says in amazement. Regina just continues to smile marvelling at his enjoyment at all the things she had taken for granted for so long.

The bath starts off with some nervousness but once Liam gets into the tub all hell breaks loose. Regina lets him clean himself with a spare flannel and seats herself on the floor so he knows she's close. She remembers how Henry first used to hate bath-time and how he used to be so scared of falling under the water that at two years old he would expressly refuse to let her leave the room for even a moment. She's pulled from her sad recollections by soap suds hitting her square in the face.

"What the - ?" she asks in shock wiping away the suds to see a grinning little boy staring back at her.

"So you think that was funny?" she asks in a mock parody of her old villain days. He gulps slightly until she scoops her hand into the water and throws some suds back at him. He laughs throwing more at her until both are covered in water. Regina has to catch her breath from her joyful laughter, she doesn't ever care that her floor is now coated in soapsuds, she can't remember the last the time she felt so light and happy. Liam giggles merrily from his place in the tub, a beard of bubbles adorning his chin courtesy of Regina, he's never had a bath in one of these tubs before but if it's as fun as this he thinks he can get used to them.

Eventually composing herself Regina reaches for a fluffy white towel and holds it out for Liam, "Do I have to get out?" he asks. "Yes or you'll get all wrinkly. Now come on, we need to find you some clothes and then have dinner" he steps into the towel and lets Regina dry him laughing as she ruffles his hair until it stands up in messy spikes. She moves to pick up the towel clad boy and carries him through to the guest room where she's kept Henry's old clothes. She plops him down on the bed and he sits on the soft plush object with an awed grin as she rummages for some pyjamas. In the second box she finds an old pair of dinosaur ones and shows them to Liam whose eyes widen to the size of saucers. He reaches out for the clothes before looking up to her with shiny tear glazed eyes, "I can wear these?" he asks.

"Of course you can honey" she says kindly before kneeling down and wiping away the stray tear that falls down his cheek, "Are you alright Liam?"

"Just you're so nice and I don't want to go back to those woods" he cries clutching the dinosaur clad gift offered to him. He's never been treated with such kindness and has only dreamed of having clothes and a home of his own.

Regina feels his heart clench at the little boy's fear. She quickly picks him up in her arms, "You don't have to. I promise that you will always have a home from now on"

"With you?" he asks.

She smiles hopefully, "If you'd like" her heart hammers in her chest as she waits with bated breath for his response. Her smile turns into a giddy grin as he flings his arms around her neck and says "I want to stay here with you"

"Great I'd like that too" she replies her heart doing little backflips in her chest. He wants to be with her. He wants to be here. Liam too snuggles happily into the woman. She wants him. She wants to offer him a home.

"Let's get these jamas on" she says excited to have someone to look after. She helps him into the dinosaur patterned clothes and once they're on he hops down and looks at himself in the mirror. He grins and sticks his tongue out at his reflection. Aside from in lakes and streams he's seldom seen his own reflection. He likes this mirror thing where he can see himself all clean and in pyjamas like he used to imagine. Regina kneels down next to him and points to his reflection, "Very handsome" he smiles, "Thank you"

"You're welcome Liam. Why don't you see how Granny is getting on with that dinner while I sort you out a bedroom?"

"My own bedroom?" he asks in quiet disbelief.

Regina nods and he runs back hugging her legs, "Thank you. Thank you. Thank you" he repeats. She grins kneeling down to pick him up, "If you're going to stay here you should have your own room don't you think?"

He nods, "Can it have dinosaurs like these?" he asks pointing to his new pyjamas.

She nods, "Tomorrow we'll get some. It might be a bit plain today until we go buy some stuff for it. I hope that's okay" she adds quietly not wanting to disappoint this child. Liam looks at the woman's slightly fallen head, he wonders who hurt her so much that she thinks that she's disappointed him when she hasn't. He pokes her gently in the cheek until she looks back up at him, "It's great" he replies. "We can get dinosaurs tomorrow"

She smiles again and he grins knowing he made her feel better, "I'll go check on dinner" he says proudly before walking out the room. Regina listens as his feet patter across the hall overjoyed to hear a noise other than her own lonely heart in this house. She busies herself setting up the bed for Liam, she chooses a plain blue bedspread and smoothes it out over the bed before plumping up pillows. Once done she sits on the bed wishing she could do more to spruce up the room. She knows Liam will be happy with it but still she thinks he deserves more and she will give that to him. Part of her knows she could use some more of Henry's old things but they're Henry's. She can't bring herself to give those up just yet. After all Liam is not a replacement for Henry. He is his own little boy and she can't impose Henry's old life on him, that would just be unfair. No she thinks he should have his own things.

Regina's distracted by the noise of a small figure bouncing up onto the bed. She turns to see Liam standing next to her, "Granny said you need to get your butt downstairs for dinner" he recites proudly. She smiles, "I do, do I?"

"Yep. Come on" he says jumping down and tugging on her hand. She smiles ecstatically letting him drag her down into the kitchen. Granny greets him with a kind smile before helping him up onto a chair and placing a steaming plate of spaghetti in front of him. Liam's eyes light up as he looks at the food before looking back up to the older woman, "Go on dear, hope you like it" she says ruffling his hair. Once he's started eating she turns to Regina and shakes her head, "I meant for both of you to get cleaned up. Liam can you stay here for a few minutes while I talk to Regina?" A flash of nervousness appears on his face until Regina smiles at him, "We'll just be a few minutes"

"You'll be back?"

"We'll be back"

He nods cautiously before digging back into his spaghetti eating it with a happy grin at the delicious taste.

With a quick glance to check Liam is alright Regina follows Granny out of the room and into the downstairs bathroom with a curious frown. "Let me look at your face" Granny says eying the large scrape on the younger woman's cheek.

"It's fine Granny"

She scoffs in reply before cleaning it gently with a flannel, "Who's Liam?" she asks reaching for the bottle of antiseptic.

"After we found Archie and dealt with my mother" Regina pauses frowning at the memory. Granny squeezes her shoulder, "I heard what you did. You saved Archie Regina, I knew you had good in you. I'm sorry that you had to do that to your mother"

"I had to" the younger woman says with a small cry.

"I know" Granny replies quickly hugging the brunette and shushing her "I know. You did the right thing"

"Tell that to Henry" she mutters bitterly.

"I'm sorry about that too Regina. I heard about what he said. I tell you were he not your son I'd give him a good slap"

"Granny!" she hisses in shock.

"I know you love him and he's normally a good kid Regina but you can't let him treat you that way"

"I know. I just can't seem to make him happy"

"You're being good Regina and you're trying. I think that's enough. Now Liam"

"I went for a walk in the woods to clear my head and I found him hiding in the bushes there. He has no family Granny and I couldn't just leave him out there and so I asked him if he wanted to come back here with me."

The older woman smiles at her, "You saved him"

"I think he saved me. I'm going to take care of him Granny. He needs someone to do so"

Granny gives her another hug, "You're a good person Regina and I think that little boy wants you to look after him as much as you do"

"Do you think I can do it? Give him a home I mean? I tried with Henry and look what happened"

"Hey, stop thinking like that Regina. You loved Henry and no you weren't the perfect mother but you know better now. You can do this. I think you can be what Liam needs. Now I'm going to let you two have dinner"

"You're going?"

"Yes dear. Oh and I looked through your cupboards, get some food Regina. You need to take care of yourself as well. You can start by bringing yourself and Liam to the diner for breakfast"

"I'm not sure people would be pleased to see me in there"

"It's my diner Regina. I'll serve who I like. Now go, eat some spaghetti before it goes cold"

Regina smiles before hugging the woman gratefully, "Thank you Granny for everything"

"Anytime" she replies ruffling the brunette's hair before taking her hand and leading her back to the kitchen to see Liam sitting expectantly in his chair with an empty plate. His slightly nervous expression quickly changes into one of joy upon seeing the two women return.

"Regina!" he shouts happily scampering down from his chair and hugging her legs again. Regina feels joy shoot through her at his excitement at seeing her. She can't remember how long it's been since someone was this glad to see her and having it happen again makes her beam with happiness. "How was the spaghetti?" she asks picking him up in her arms.

"It was the bestest meal ever!" he exclaims before turning to Granny and adding "Thank you"

"Anytime young man. How about tomorrow for breakfast I introduce you to pancakes?"

"Pancake?"

"They're delicious" Regina says at his questioning expression. "We'll get some tomorrow"

"Yay!" he shouts before tapping Regina on her nose, "You need to eat your dinner now"

"That's right I do" she replies before sitting down at the table to enjoy her own bowl of Granny's spaghetti. "This really is delicious Granny"

"Thank you dear. Right I must be off now. I don't want Ruby to worry. I'll see you both in the morning"

Regina nods, "Goodbye Granny. Thank you again for all your help today"

"Bye Granny!" Liam calls with an excited wave,

"Goodbye you two" she waves and is off.

Regina practically devours her spaghetti, it's been a worryingly long time since she even bothered to cook herself a dinner. Without anyone else in the house she had seen no point. Granny's spaghetti is damn good as well she thinks. She finishes her bowl quickly and lifts her head to find Liam laughing at her, "What?" she asks.

He giggles pointing to her face, "Sauceface"

She stands quickly and catches her reflection in the mirror and discovering that she is indeed a sauceface. She shakes her head with a small laugh as she gathers the plates and puts them in the sink to clean later.

"Right young man" she says checking the time, "I think it's time one of us went to bed"

"You?" he asks playfully ducking behind the counter.

After hurriedly wiping her face on a napkin Regina smiles to herself before kneeling down and crawling round the counter hearing Liam snickering to himself. On her hands and knees she creeps around the corner before yelling "Got you!" and pulling him into her arms. He shrieks in surprise before clinging to her in a hug as she proceeds to skip her way around the hallway "To bed with this young man I say"

He laughs in her arms as they bound up the stairs and to his room before she lays him down in the bed. "Oh wait here" she says before running into the room next door and grabbing one of Henry's old childhood books _Dinosaurs Love Underpants _and returning to Liam's room to find him waiting under the sheets. She hides the book behind her back before slowly revealing it to him. His curious face turns into a happy grin at the front cover.

Regina smiles before sitting down next to Liam and begins reading the book "Dinosaurs were all wiped out, a long way back in history, no one knows quite how or why, this book solves the mystery"

By the end of the silly story Liam's eyes are battling to stay open. Regina smiles before getting up and tucking the covers around him, "If you need me come get me" she says having shown him her room earlier. He nods tiredly in reply. "Goodnight Liam" she adds before kissing him on the forehead, "Sleep tight"

"Regina?"

"Yes Liam"

"Today was the bestest day ever. Thank you"

"Anytime Liam. Today was one of my bestest days as well. Good night. I'll see you in the morning"

"See you in the morning" he mumbles before falling asleep with a happy smile on his face. Regina waits for a few minutes to make sure Liam really is asleep. With a contented grin on her own face she creeps out of the room and down the hall to her own. She forgets about the dirty dishes downstairs and her usual night-time routine and collapses into bed, for the first time in ages looking forward to the new day.

_I like the idea of Granny being an almost motherly type figure for Regina so hopefully you guys don't mind me adding her in. Always happy to know what you think. Thank you for reading :)_

_Next chapter: A trip to the diner and Henry finds out about Liam. _


	3. Chapter 3

_AN: My apologies for the wait! I really did mean to get this up sooner but I was babysitting at my mum's yesterday and so was roped into Scooby Doo and Peppa Pig marathons instead. Thank you for all the reviews, favouites and follows so far :) I don't own Once or its characters. Apologies for any mistakes. Hope you enjoy :)_

* * *

_"__You're not my mom!"_

_"But Henry I raised you and I love you" _

_"You're the evil queen."_

_"I'm still your mother"_

_"No you're not. Leave me alone" _

Regina wakes with a start hurriedly wiping the tears from her eyes after yet another dream where her son reminds her of his disdain for her and leaves her. She sits up resting her head on her knees checking the time, 6 am, well no point going back to sleep now – not that she'd be successful in that attempt anyway. She gets up slowly rubbing her eyes and her feet drag her automatically to Henry's unoccupied bedroom. She sighs sadly as she takes in all his books and old toys – the few belongings he left behind. Most of his stuff is now over at Emma's. She hasn't come in here very often, it hurts too much to be here when he is not. It's when Regina looks over to the room and sees the photo that he left that she starts to cry. She picks up the small wooden frame and stares at the image. It's one Graham took before Henry left to get Emma. He still had the book but they both look happy. She sniffs wondering if he ever really was.

"Who's that?" she turns to face the small tired voice and smiles upon seeing the sleepy little boy rubbing his arms on his pyjama sleeve. Her sadness fades a little as Liam blinks his way awake before hugging her legs. "Good morning Liam" she says, his freely given affection acting as a soothing balm for her pain. She reverently places the picture on the table before lifting the boy up. He laughs as she hoists him in the air. The happy sound makes Regina grin as well, joy replacing her earlier sorrow as she carries him out of the room with a slight skip in her step. She reaches through with one hand closing the door before taking Liam back through to his own.

The pair flop down onto the bed with a small bounce and laugh and Liam slowly sits up with a frown. "Liam what's wrong?" Regina asks concerned that she has already made a mistake, that she already hurt him or done something to push away. Her fear it turns out is unneeded. The little boy reaches over before wiping away one of her earlier tears with his thumb. "You were crying" he says worriedly. "Oh" she replies quietly.

"Why?"

"I was just thinking about Henry"

"Who's Henry?"

"He's my son" Liam looks up at her in confusion. She has a son? He frowns, if she already has a son why isn't he here with her? "Where is he?" he asks.

"He lives with his other Mommy" she admits sadly. Liam frowns at her miserable expression and quickly wraps his arms around her as she continues returning his hug, "When he was eight he found out that he was adopted"

"What's that mean?"

"It means he grew in another lady's tummy and then when he was born she gave him to me."

"Oh so you looked after him like you look after me?" he asks raising his head. She smiles softly keeping him in her hug, "Exactly". In that moment she realises she can't remember the last time she and Henry hugged and spoke like this. She wonders how she couldn't see how much he was pushing her away. Regina revels in the moment of affection from Liam. With Henry every hug is fleeting and rare. He asks her to prove her love for him, he doesn't believe in her or trust her no matter what she does. Instead even when she fulfils her promises to him and shows him how hard she is trying to change he just pushed her away. But Liam she muses is different, he trusts her to take care of him. He doesn't reject her. For the first time in nearly three years she feels needed and like someone else cares about her. "Why does he live with the other lady then?"

"He wanted to live with her and not with me" Regina sums up. Liam frowns seeing how hurt she is by her son rejecting her. He doesn't understand this Henry. His Mommy wasn't nice like Regina and he wonders how this son could push her away like that. "I think he's silly" Liam says finally.

Regina looks at him in confusion, "You think he's silly?"

Liam nods "Yep because you're a really good Mommy and it's silly to push that away" he finishes with a frown knowing that if he could have a Mommy like Regina then he would happily welcome it.

She sighs, "It's not that simple Liam. I used to be a really bad person and Henry, he doesn't like who I was."

"But you're not her anymore"

"No I'm trying not to be but Henry he thinks I am"

"Then he is silly because you're not the evil queen anymore!"

She blinks startled, her heart warmed by his defiant defence of her, "You really believe that?" she asks almost afraid to hope that someone believes in her. The little boy nods and a broad grin stretches across Regina's face at the knowledge that she does have someone who can help her stay good, who believes she isn't just the evil queen. "I do" he confirms, "I wish I had a Mommy like you" he whispers sadly.

Regina frowns noticing his expression, "Liam what were your parents like?"

He looks down "They were mean. I don't really remember them much but they left me in the woods one day and then just never came back" he looks up to Regina with watery eyes that send a sharp pain through her heart, "Was it because I was bad?" he asks.

She quickly wraps him back up in her arms before resting her hand on his back. She can't believe that people would just leave a child like this in the woods. She did her best to be a good mother to Henry, even if her best wasn't good enough for him. She can't imagine how people could have a precious gift like a child and just throw him aside without a second thought as to who would take care of him. What hurts her more is that he seems to think it's her fault. Internally she curses the two who would do this to him. He's a good little kid, brave, funny and kind, she thinks and he deserves so much more than the parents he had. "It wasn't your fault" she begins in a soothing tone, "You are most certainly not bad"

"Really?" he asks quietly.

"Really" she nods wiping away his tears, "You are a great kid and no-one deserves to be left alone like that. You are not bad. You deserve to be cared about and loved and to be happy Liam. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise"

He smiles leaning up in her arms before taking a deep cautious breath, "You won't leave me?" he asks quietly. "Never" she replies honestly. She doesn't think she could at this point nor would she want to. He holds her tightly knowing she means that. He smiles into her hug as she allows him to hold onto her for as long as he needs to feel safe and happy.

After a few minutes Regina decides to break the silence that has settled over them, "Hey Liam about we get dressed and get you those pancakes we talked about yesterday?"

He nods excitedly, "I can try pancakes?!"

"Yes. Then we go get you some new stuff"

He smiles before throwing his arms around her again, "Dinosaurs?" he asks.

She smiles at his apparent love of the creatures, "Yes dinosaurs"

* * *

The Diner falls quiet as the former queen and little boy walk in. Normally Regina would feel their hateful stares but today she has a talkative happy child with her and all she cares about is getting them both pancakes. With a smile she helps him up on to a stool and answers his questions about the place before Granny comes over.

"Regina. Liam. Good morning"

"Morning Granny" Liam singsongs with a small wave as Regina ruffles his hair before adding her own, "Good morning Granny"

The older woman smiles at their matching happy expressions, "So do you both want pancakes?"

Regina nods, "Apple please for me. Liam what kind do you want?"

He looks at her curiously before she shows him the list of flavours. He leans over her arm to read the selection before giving her a surprised look, "I can really pick from all of those?!"

"Yes" she answers still awed by how the littlest things that she herself had taken for granted for so long can make him so happy.

"Can I have strawberry pancakes?" he asks hopefully. Regina chuckles slightly at his somewhat pouting face before nodding, "Of course you can"

Granny takes the orders down, "Regina I assume you want your coffee as usual and Liam how about a milkshake?"

"A milkshake?" he asks curiously.

"You'll love it" Granny replies trying not to laugh at the half mocking half "do you know how much sugar is in one of those?" glare that Regina is giving her.

"Who's that?" Henry asks Snow having seen Regina walk in with Liam. His brunette grandmother looks over blinking in surprise at seeing the happy unguarded expression on Regina's face before turning back to her grandson. "I don't know Henry, I don't recognise him"

Henry frowns staring at the pair and watching them carefully, "I bet she's up to something"

"Henry she's still your mother" Snow replies knowing that in his anger towards Regina he seems to have lost sight of that.

"She's the evil queen" he mutters defiantly drinking his cocoa. Snow sighs at his refusal to see that the woman laughing gleefully whilst wiping milkshake off of the young boy's face is not the evil queen anymore but is just Regina. The joy radiating off of her former stepmother reminds her of a woman she thought lost. She looks the little boy up and down quickly seeing no marks of harm or sadness. Henry may think she's up to something but unless that plan is having a pancake breakfast at the diner she can't work out what it is.

* * *

Regina can't keep the smile off her face right now, she's just finished having a delicious pancake breakfast with a grinning Liam, she can't remember the last time she felt this truly happy. Granny takes their plates away before handing them both several napkins, so distracted by the simple joy of the moment she hadn't even noticed the syrup smeared over both their chins. After wiping the mess off of the squirming boy's face she waves her thanks to Granny, "Right Liam, shall we go get you some stuff?"

"Yes please!" he says happily bouncing on his feet as the sugar from the milkshake begins to take effect.

She grins back at him before trying her best to lead him out the diner as he begins to do an uncoordinated dance around her feet, "Come on Liam, straight line please" she says before walking into someone, "Oh sorry" she begins hastily before seeing she's walked into Snow. "Snow" she mutters with a throat clear. Liam frowns picking up on her tension before grabbing her leg, "Henry?" he asks pointing to the scowling boy who has come to join his grandmother, "Leave her alone Regina" he spits out.

"Henry I walked into her" Snow says in a slightly scolding way.

He scoffs and rolls her eyes, "I'm sure if you hadn't she'd have done something"

Regina bites her lip to hold back her tears in front of him before kneeling down slightly, "Henry I'm not going to hurt her. She's your grandmother and in spite of our past she's your family. I promised you I wouldn't harm your family"

Henry's lower lip juts out slightly as he thinks that over. He'd love to believe that she was telling the truth but a small voice in his head keeps yelling "She lied about the curse!" and it makes him feel so mad at her. He turns his gaze away from her. _She's the evil queen_ he repeats to himself _evil queens don't change_. His stare shifts towards Liam who is now frowning at him, "What are you doing with him?" he asks accusingly.

Regina flinches at his tone, "I'm looking after him Henry"

"Yeah right" he scoffs, "I'm sure he's just a pawn in one of your schemes"

"Henry that's enough!" the diner turns in surprise at seeing Snow snap at her grandson. He looks up at her with a frown. He's the son of the saviour. Why is she defending the evil queen over him? He gives Snow a confused and angry glare, "You're yelling at me?" he asks stunned.

"Yes, you can't treat your mother like that"

"She's not my mother. She's just an evil witch who lied to me and hurt everyone. OW!" he yells as Liam runs up and shoves him.

"Liam!" Regina says sharply and beckons him back over to her. He frowns at Henry before approaching Regina. He knows he shouldn't have reacted physically but he didn't want to listen to Henry anymore. "I'm sorry" he says to Regina, "But he was a meanie and he deserved it" he adds before hugging her. She accepts the hug gratefully and lets a few errant tears slide from her lids as his arms wrap tightly around her. "Regina are you alright?" Snow asks as Henry stares on in disbelief, he's the one who just got shoved, why are they all looking at him like he's the bad guy here? His frowns increases as everyone ignores him and focuses on Regina and this new kid. He looks up and notices Granny shaking her head in his direction as a few others look away muttering about him. _What the hell is going on? She's the evil queen. She probably took Liam from someone else in the first place but they all look at me like I did something wrong. I bet Emma will believe me_ he thinks before storming out the diner making sure to slam the door for emphasis on the way out.

* * *

Henry runs out of the diner and down the street to the Sheriff's station. "Mom!" he calls out barrelling into the room at high speed. "Whoa hold your horses kid. What's going on?" Emma asks wondering where Snow is since she knows her son was supposed to be having breakfast with her before school.

"It's Regina. She's up to something!"

"Are you sure kid? You said that about Archie and she was helping us save him"

Henry yells in frustration before kicking at Emma's desk, "Why does no-one ever believe me?! No-one believed about the curse and I was right! But no Regina shows up with a kid in the diner and everyone acts like I'm the bad one for being suspicious of her!"

Emma sighs wishing he'd ease up on Regina one day soon. She understands his anger but the brunette is trying to change, to be a better person, and that is more than any of her foster parents ever did for her. What Henry doesn't seem to realise if that from the perspective of someone who hasn't had parents or someone to take care of them is that Henry has actually had a pretty good life. He's never gone hungry or cold. He has always had a warm cosy bed waiting for him. He has wanted for nothing in terms of toys, books or games. In spite of all of her faults Regina has showered the kid in love and care and yet he has seemingly forgotten it all because of who she was. Plus though no-one ever seems to admit it to Regina she did a pretty good job raising him, yeah he can be quite self-centred and stubborn but aside from that she raised a smart, determined kid who will fight for what he believes in, even if everyone tells him he's wrong. The only problem with that determination is that he often won't believe things that contradict his own self-view. The blonde frowns as Henry continues his rant about how everyone ignored him and no-one believes him.

"Hey Henry come on calm down"

"Not until someone listens to me!" he yells.

"I am listening but standing here and yelling at me isn't going to do anything is it? Now what is all this about?"

"Regina turned up to the diner with this kid"

"A kid? Where did she get a kid?"

He grins, "Exactly. I bet she took him. It's why we need another operation. So we can figure out what he's up to" Emma smiles though it doesn't reach her eyes as she watches her son's face light up in excitement at the prospect of another mission. She honestly doesn't suspect that the former mayor is up to anything but maybe if she goes along with it she can prove that Regina is no longer evil or plotting or whatever else Henry suspects. Maybe then we can all be a bit happier she thinks, Henry will stop hating her as much, Regina won't be as lonely and Emma won't have to figure out why Regina's misery hurts her so much.

* * *

After the incident at the diner, and a surprising hug and apology from Snow regarding Henry's behaviour, Regina and Liam both silently decided on just keeping things light for the rest of the day. So now after buying new clothes, things for his room including a dinosaur night light and stuffed T-Rex, and new toys all of which Liam put away with complete awe at the fact that these were his things, the pair are playing out in the back garden. Well Liam is exploring the lush green area with a toy dragon in his hand whilst Regina watches from one of her patio chairs.

Whilst Liam is checking out her apple tree an idea springs into Regina's mind, one of happier times with Henry before he decided he was too old for childish games, she shakes the thought out of her head. She'd rather think of happier things than dwelling on the son who clearly still holds nothing but suspicion and disdain for her. A smile creeps onto her face as she sneaks across the grass in her bare feet enjoying the way the green strands tickle her feet slightly. Liam remains oblivious staring up at the shiny red apples on the tree as she keeps walking across the garden.

"Boo!" she yells before tickling his sides. He shrieks in surprise and delight before turning to her with a large grin, "The dragon's gonna have to get you now" he says seriously. He laughs as Regina puts her hands up and mocks terror on her face, "Oh no not the dragon!"

He nods in response, "You tickled me so he has to get you"

She smiles back, "He'll have to catch me" she challenges before getting back onto her feet and running away. Liam looks at her confused for a moment before catching on with a large grin, "RAWR!" he yells as he takes chase after the giggling brunette.

Emma makes her way up the driveway trying to squash the building butterflies in her stomach. She hasn't seen Regina since they rescued Archie together. She's wanted to, in fact she's picked up the phone to call Henry's other mother forty-six times but then managed to talk herself out of it each time. _Why is it so damn hard just to talk to her? Come on Swan! Focus. You're here to prove she isn't up to something_. Funny though how even when all the evidence was against Regina, Emma never lost faith in her. She still hasn't. She doesn't even know why she trusts the other woman so implicitly – she just does.

She takes a deep breath and smoothes out her leather jacket before stepping up on to the porch. She's about to ring the bell when she hears a beautiful sound coming from the garden. Her feet move magnetically to the melodic noise and take her to stand on the edge of the mayor's backyard. Emma can't help but chuckle at the sight of the mayor running around, without shoes, with a carefree expression on her face as a little light brown haired boy runs after her brandishing a toy dinosaur. The sheriff tries to calm down the little backflips the sight makes her heart do and move to talk to the brunette woman. But she finds she can't tear her eyes away from the joyful light in Regina's chocolate orbs or the way her laughter makes her whole face seem younger and happier. It's a Regina Emma would like to see more of.

"Emma?" she's snapped from her staring by the questioning voice of Regina floating across the yard. "Oh hey Regina" she replies hastily hoping she's not blushing as hard as she thinks she is right now.

"What brings you here Sheriff Swan?"

"I'm here about Liam"

Emma watches as the brunette's face shifts into one of absolute panic. It confuses her for a moment until she sees the way Regina takes hold of Liam's hand when he comes over. _She thinks I'm taking him_. Sadness washes over the blonde as she knows that fear is her fault. She never meant to cause Regina harm, she only wanted the best for Henry but she never really considered what kind of effect the continuous "my son" arguments must have had on the brunette. Now though looking at the woman's scared gaze, she wishes that she and Regina had been able to come to a civil agreement. Instead they bickered and fought neither one of them willing to give up on Henry until eventually they created a situation where Henry had to pick one of them. And ultimately he made the choice both women knew he would. Both though knowing the outcome of the breaking of the curse still thought Henry would see Regina, at least a couple of times a week. Emma would have happily given her that but an impromptu trip to the enchanted forest prevented her from being able to extend that olive branch. Now it means they have reached an impasse wherein Regina feels too uncomfortable to ask to see him and where Emma doesn't want to force the kid to see Regina in case he makes things worse.

"Are you taking him?" Regina asks quietly as Liam hides behinds her leg. Emma looks over to her before shaking her head, "No. I mean of course not. I don't have reason too" she replies hoping to reassure the other woman. She smiles when Regina visibly relaxes and Liam pokes his head back around from his hiding place, "I get to stay here?" he asks.

Emma nods, "Yep"

"But I thought. Henry" Regina fumbles over her words having expected that her happiness would have been ripped from her again but instead Emma was quick to reassure her, to prove to her that it wasn't the case. She smiles back at Emma finding the blonde's shy grin infectious.

"He came to see me, told me about what happened in the diner. I'm sorry about that" Emma says sincerely.

Regina nods, a tiny genuine smile lighting up her face as she looks towards the blonde before a hint of sadness flickers across those features, "I'm used to it Emma"

"You shouldn't have to be. Anyway he kept going on about it so I figured I'd come over, see how you guys were and prove to him that you aren't up to anything"

Surprise ripples through Regina again. _She still believes in me_ she thinks with another small smile as the blonde's unerring faith in her sends a fresh wave of happiness through her. "You don't share his suspicions then?"

Emma looks over to Liam playing happily in the grass and down at the brunette's stained feet, "I don't think there's anything to be suspicious about. I didn't have you pegged as the running around without shoes type though Regina" she adds with a playful smirk.

Regina blushes wriggling her toes in response, "Well heels aren't really practical for tag Emma"

Emma laughs, "Guess not, I suppose I should go" she says hesitantly. Now that she's arrived here she finds she doesn't want to leave this peaceful happy interlude she's stumbled into. Out in Storybrooke she has to go out and be the saviour they all expect her to be. The daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming has a title to live up to after all and a lot of the time it feels like she's failing to live up to the strong hero princess role she's been cast in. Here though in the former mayor's backyard she doesn't feel that pressure. Regina still looks at her like she did pre-curse. Even Henry looks at her as if she can solve all of the world's problems but Regina remains constant.

Regina smiles again watching as the blonde fidgets awkwardly on the patio clearly trying to find some excuse to stay. "Hey Liam" she calls out, "Want to get Emma?"

She laughs as the blonde shoots her a semi-horrified stare as Liam jumps up happily and runs towards the startled sheriff.

_AN 2: I know Henry was quite stroppy but in this story he's still a bit self entitled at the moment. He's going to get a talking too soon though! Hope you liked the beginnings of SQ. Always happy to hear what you think. Thanks for reading :)_


	4. Chapter 4

_My apologies for the wait! Between packing for uni and looking after my brother I was really struggling with finding time to write. Thank you so much for all the reviews for the last chapter. I'm glad you're enjoying this so far. I still don't own Once or its characters. Apologies for any mistakes. Hope you enjoy :)_

Regina and Liam stand at the school gates both a little nervously. She wishes she could get her hand to stop shaking right now, she doesn't want Liam to pick up on her fear at sending him here. She knows she has to do this though, for Liam's sake. It will do neither one of them much good to stay cooped up in the mansion as they had been since the diner incident. Emma has come round most days for lunch but aside from that they don't see much of anyone else, just Granny when she drops them off food and she knows Liam needs to be with children his own age.

Strangely enough it was Snow who made her see that it would be good for both of them for him to go to school. Liam for education and socialising and Regina so she could see that a few hours apart doesn't mean she'll lose him.

_Regina's head snaps up at the sound of the doorbell. Liam too raises his face away from the drawing he has been making but has forbidden her to see until it is finished. They both look at each other curiously. Emma normally either knocks or just walks in and it's far too early to be Granny. Regina frowns wondering who it could be, "Wait here" she says to Liam not wanting him to see if it's one of the townspeople come to yell at her. Since she helped bring Snow and Emma back there have been less of those visits but still a visitor to her door in the middle of the afternoon is enough to alarm her. The little boy nods before turning back to his crayons. _

_She pulls the door open slowly before blinking in surprise, "Snow?" _

_"Hello Regina" the other woman replies nervously playing with her hands, "May I come in?" _

_Regina simply nods wondering what on earth could bring Snow White of all people to her house. She shakes her head to clear the confusion from her mind before remembering her lessons of hospitality. Some things are so heavily ingrained in us that they don't leave she thinks sadly recalling those lessons. "A drink dear?" she asks Snow shutting the door behind her. _

_"Tea?" she asks in reply and Regina nods before poking her head back into the living room, "Liam I'll just be in the kitchen okay?" Over the past few days he's gotten better with her leaving the room but he still gets somewhat skittish if she's gone too long. She finds letting him know where she'll be helps and if it makes him feel safe here then she's happy to do it. He nods at her, "Who's here?" he asks curiously. "Snow, you remember from the diner?" _

_"The lady with Henry?" at her nod he frowns, "Is he here too?" _

_Regina bites her lip to stop it falling into a frown. She hasn't seen Henry in five days. He doesn't call. When she calls the apartment he won't take the phone in spite of Emma's attempts to get him to talk. He really doesn't want to see her. She wonders if he misses her like she misses him. He certainly doesn't seem to. Emma has told her that since she went back to the loft and informed Henry that nothing suspicious was happening at the mansion he's basically just moped around. Regina sighs, apparently her son is more upset about the fact that she isn't up to something. "No Henry" she finally answers Liam who gets up and wraps his arms around her legs in a hug, "Maybe one day" he says hoping to boost her spirits. She smiles at his attempt to cheer her up, "Maybe" she nods before kissing the top of his head, "Go back to drawing. Remember if you need me" _

_"You'll be in the kitchen" he finishes. _

_She nods before heading back to where Snow is sitting patiently on a stool in the kitchen. She busies herself preparing the tea unsure as to what conversation is about to be had. Is she about to be accused of something else? Or has Henry convinced them that her attempt to be better is a ruse? After all with Archie everyone but Emma and Granny stopped believing in her so why would they trust that she isn't up to something now? She sighs sadly telling herself there's no point worrying about a problem that may not even be there. _

_"How are things going with Liam?" Snow asks pulling the woman from her thoughts having noticed her nervous pensiveness. _

_"They seem to be going well. He's settled in here and I'm looking after him Snow. I am. I'm really just taking care of him" Regina blurts out as the innocent question tugs at her fear of losing Liam to them. She already lost Henry. She doesn't want them to take Liam as well. Snow frowns at the woman's panicked response before moving and placing her hand on Regina's arm, "Regina relax, I just wanted to know how you two were doing. We know you're looking after him" _

_Regina takes a deep breath composing herself internally wishing she weren't this insecure about losing people. Hell she had become used to being alone before Henry came along. But now after having had him in her life she doesn't want to be alone. Solitude is painful. She's doing her best with Liam. She told Henry that she didn't know how to love very well and she didn't but she's learning and she's trying. She hopes it's enough. _

_"I'm fine" Regina says to Snow at noticing the other woman's concerned look. Snow nods before holding her hand up in mock surrender._

_"Why do you care?" Regina asks letting her curiosity get the better of her. Aside from occasions of saving the other's lives she and Snow have done their best to either avoid each other or just give each other a civil greeting upon the odd time they cross paths. Regina finds that this seems to be the way with most people. Once the dust settled and the peasants stopped picketing her porch everyone just kept their distance. They didn't bother her and she didn't bother them. Yes it was lonely but at least there was less bloodshed and revenge. Instead just distance and disdain. Having people care is still strange and new to her. _

_"I don't know really. Emma insists that you're trying and from what I've seen and heard you are. I guess I just thought that maybe a step in us being able to begin putting the past behind us I can try and support you in that" what she wants more than anything is for them all to try and get along. Yes there is a lot of pain and misery in their past but they are all family. Plus despite everything she still believes in second chances and maybe this time with the right support Regina can be more like the woman who saved her on that horse rather than the one warped by loneliness and vengeance. _

_Snow smiles as Regina gives her a watery smile. Though she would never admit it to Snow the added help from someone who should despise her does touch her. Maybe she thinks she can stick to redemption this time. She has Liam, she has Emma and Granny, she isn't alone and that she hopes can make the difference. "Thank you Snow" _

_Silence descends over them for a few seconds as they sip their tea before Snow speaks up. "I wanted to talk to you about Liam" _

_Regina looks up before gesturing for her to elaborate. _

_"Well how old is he?" _

_"Five" _

_"He needs to be in school Regina. I wanted to talk to you about enrolling him" she pauses seeing the hesitant look on the other woman's face, "I know you're worried about leaving him there so soon but it would be good for both of you. He needs an education and to interact with other children and you need to know that you won't lose him just because he goes to school for a few hours" _

_Regina nods slowly. She knows she can't keep either herself or Liam in this mansion forever but nonetheless the thought of him out there in a school alone petrifies her. Henry suffered having her as a mother and from the curse and she doesn't want to repeat that with Liam. After all she is not naïve enough to think that the son of an evil queen will have it easy out there and neither Henry nor Liam should be burdened with the weight of her sins but the other children will take it out on them. She worries he'll pull away from her too. But she can't force him to stay here. She knows now that that is unfair to him. She tried to keep Henry close and well she knows how well that turned out. _

_"I'll think about it" she says to Snow who nods before reaching over and squeezing her hand, "Take a few days Regina. Call me when you're ready" _

_Regina nods her teeth nibbling slightly on her lower lip as Snow lets herself out of the mansion. At the sound of the door closing Liam scampers into the kitchen a piece of paper in one hand and his T-Rex in the other. After she introduced him to The Land Before Time on DVD yesterday his love of dinosaurs had only grown. Definitely cooler than dragons he has decided. He peers up at Regina noticing her nerves and wondering what the Snow lady said to worry her. _

_He tugs on the bottom of her jumper and she turns to him with a smile, "Hi Liam" _

_"Hey" he mumbles shyly before brandishing the piece of paper in her direction, "It's for you" _

_"For me?" she asks happily. It's been a long time since she's received a gift like this. Three years in fact and that final drawing presented to her is still kept reverently with all the other treasures Henry gave her over their years together. _

_Liam nods before slipping the paper into her hands. She unfurls it, a broad grin stretching across her face as her heart skips joyfully in her chest at the sight of the two crayon figures in her garden being chased by a "Sharptooth". _

_She quickly falls off her stool and wraps Liam up in a hug before kissing him sloppily on the forehead, "I love it thank you Liam" she beams holding the drawing proudly in her hands. He grins before standing on her knees and wrapping his arms around her neck before pointing to his artwork, "That's you and me. And that's a big scary Sharptooth going RAWR" he puts his hands up into claws for the imitation "about to get us" _

_"Does he?" Regina asks with a slight chuckle. _

_He smiles at her before excitedly jumping on her knees, "No because we got away because you wouldn't let us get eated by a dinosaur" _

_"No I wouldn't" _

_"Do you really like it?" he asks. _

_"I really do" she replies honestly flashing him another smile, "And I will keep it forever" _

_"Like you'll keep me?" he asks hopefully. _

_She nods trying to keep the happy tears at bay, "Would you like that?" at his enthusiastic earnest nod she smiles "Then I'll always keep you safe and happy Liam" _

_He grins at her before kissing on the cheek, "I'm glad you founded me in the woods" he says grabbing her hand, "Let's watch the dinosaurs again"_

_"Again?" _

_"Yeah again" he says insistently. She shakes her head smiling as she lets him lead her into the living room for the fifth viewing of The Land Before Time in the space of two days. It's when he snuggles into her during the film that she knows Snow is right. If she's going to step up and be Liam's mother and look after him like he wants then that includes sending him to school and not keeping him tethered close to her like she tried to do with Henry to keep him from finding out. Back then when she was raising Henry she thought that was what parents did, her mother had always kept her sheltered and close by and unfortunately she knows she repeated that same behaviour with Henry. And ultimately it backfired on her, forcing people to be with you and restricting them from seeing others does not make them love you, it only makes them resent you. She wishes she had seen that sooner but she cannot change the past. She can only try not to make those mistakes again. _

"Are you ready?" she asks the fidgeting boy in his brand new school uniform. He frowns staring up at the large intimidating building with more people than he's ever seen.

"Uh-uh" he replies shaking his head and moving closer towards her. Regina told him about this school place but so far it looks big and kind of scary. "Why can't I just stay with you?" he asks pouting slightly.

She smiles kindly at him before taking his small hands in her own, "Because Liam honey that would be unfair of me. You need to spend time with other children and go to school and learn all sorts of wonderful things."

"What if they don't like me?" he asks quietly.

"Liam why wouldn't they like you? You're brave, you're funny and you're smart. Just be yourself okay?"

He nods though he still looks nervous, "Will you come back later?" he asks fearfully. She pulls him in for a quick hug, "Of course I will. I will always come back for you" that is her role as a mother. Love is like that. It is powerful and strong enough that even when our children no longer need us, like Henry doesn't seem to at the moment, we still wait for them and are there to lean upon. She knows that were Henry to show up on her doorstep tomorrow needing her help that she would give it to him even if it meant he would still push her away the next day purely because he is her son and she loves him. She knows the same is true of Liam.

"You promise?" he asks.

She nods before holding out her little finger and hooking it around his own, "I pinky promise"

"A pinky promise?" he asks confusedly.

"Yes Liam. It's a special kind of promise. You're not allowed to break a pinky promise. If you do the Sharptooths get you" she adds with a smile before tickling his sides. He laughs, "You're silly Momma"

Her heart stops in her chest before it suddenly floods with warmth at the word, "Momma" she repeats quietly to herself. He smiles at her before hugging her, "Yep. You do want to be my Momma right?" he asks suddenly nervous by the appearance of tears on her face before she nods vigorously, "Of course I do"

"You're crying"

"I'm just really happy that you want me to be your Momma sweetheart"

"Why wouldn't I? You're an awesome Momma!" he shouts before grinning at her. She mirrors his excited happy expression before taking his hand again and leading him over to Snow as the word "Momma" rings in her ears like a beautiful melody.

"Right" she says as they reach the steps before kneeling down to Liam, "Be good. Do what your teachers say. If another child is mean to you go tell Snow." She pauses finding it odd that she is trusting Snow White of all people with her child but she knows from sending Henry here that her former nemesis would never let intentional harm befall any child and so she can find the strength to take a leap of faith. That and Emma may have reassured several times that Snow would never dare let anything happen to a child of hers. "I love you" she finishes her speech to Liam who smiles before hugging her again and replying "Love you. See you later?" he asks.

"See you later" she replies before watching with bated breath as he walks with some trepidation into the school building. A squeeze on her shoulder makes her jump slightly, "Sorry Regina I didn't mean to startle you" Snow says apologetically.

"That's alright dear. I guess I'm just nervous"

"Understandable. Don't worry. I won't let anything happen to him and I'm sure once he settles in he'll enjoy it"

Regina nods hoping that's true. Her mind is still buzzing with doubts and fears over this and she's fighting hard to resist the urge to run into that building and take Liam back to the mansion. She takes a deep breath reminding herself that he'll be okay, that he needs this and so she has to let him stay. She can't let her fears hurt him.

She turns away from the school before walking off quickly. She knows if she stays there that the urge to stop Liam leaving her for a few hours will only increase. A part of her knows that once they get through today she'll be okay. It's just this first day. It scares her. What if he goes there and doesn't want her anymore? What if the other kids pick on him? What if he hates it? What if something does happen to him?

Her panic is only increasing as she sits in the car staring at the school. She needs to get away from this building and trust that he'll be okay. If only she could find it in her to drive away.

A sharp knock on the window startles her again and she hurriedly wipes away the stray tear that had fallen down her cheek before turning to face whoever it was. She blinks in confusion before rolling down the window, "Dr Hopper?"

"Hi Regina" he greets cheerfully before bending down slightly to the open window, "Are you alright?"

She sighs. Last time she opened up to him her mother nearly killed him. _But she's gone now_. Though that doesn't mean the fear has gone away. She looks back at the school again before turning to Archie and shaking her head. He smiles sympathetically, "Is it something you'd like to talk about?"

She nods not trusting her ability to speak just yet. "I have an hour free this morning if you'd like to meet me at my office" he offers understanding that as much as she'd love to talk she needs a few minutes to compose herself enough to be able to unburden her worries.

Regina nods again, "That would be agreeable Doctor Hopper"

"Great" he says with a smile, "I'll be back at the office in ten minutes"

She smiles as he leaves grateful that he is giving her this time to think over what she needs to talk about. They've had sessions in the past where she's deliberately avoided certain things because she didn't want to deal with them but she doesn't want to do that anymore. She wants to talk and get help for her own sake and for her children.

* * *

"So Regina what's troubling you?" Archie asks once they're all seated, he in his armchair, Regina on the sofa and Pongo spread across her lap.

She takes another deep breath, "I'm sure you've heard by now about Liam?"

"The child you found?" at her nod he continues, "Yes is he doing alright? Settling in okay?"

"He has some anxieties about my leaving him but other than that he's a wonderful boy" she beams with pride still remembering how he called her Momma this morning.

Archie smiles at the peaceful look of happiness that settles on her face before continuing, "You say he has problems with you leaving him?"

She nods before frowning, "Yes, before I found him he was all alone. He said his parents just left him there back in our land. How could they do that? He's a child. He's a good kid Dr Hopper. He didn't deserve that so why would they be so mean to him?"

He frowns making a note in his pad, "Why did you take him in?" he asks curiously.

"I couldn't just leave him out there" she replies with a hurt look, "I couldn't. It's not a place for children. Not good children. He deserves someone who will take care of him and love him and give him a home. I want to do that Archie. I just" she sighs, "It's difficult"

"Why do you think it's difficult?"

"I tried so hard with Henry. I love him so much and I really tried to give him everything I never had and none of that matters to him now. He just doesn't seem to care that I love him or that I raised him for ten years" she says bitterly.

"And you're angry with him for that?"

"I wish I wasn't. He's my son. I know why he's mad. I know I hurt people and I did so many things I wish I could undo. But I can't change my past. I just want Henry to remember that I'm not just the evil queen"

He smiles in sympathy sliding along a box of tissues noticing a few errant tears slipping down the woman's cheeks, "I think he will Regina. Henry is very stubborn, when he believes in something as strongly as he did the curse and who you were he is very unwillingly to look beyond what is there in front of him. But he does love you. Even if he can't show it right now because of your past he does. Give Henry time Regina. Time to see that you aren't just what's in his book. Time for him to remember you as his mother."

She nods, "Am I a bad mother for wishing it wouldn't take so long?" she asks quietly.

He shakes his head, "No Regina. It just makes you human. You're allowed to be human and to be scared and to want things. And any time that you feel you need to talk about something my door is open"

Regina nods smiling in gratitude, "Thank you Dr Hopper"

"You're welcome. So your fear is that because of Henry's choice to live with Emma that you won't be a good mother to Liam?"

She nods sniffling again. "I just don't want to fail him"

"I don't think you will Regina. I think in terms of your parenting you're being far too hard on yourself. Trust on your instincts as a mother. Do things with him that you both enjoy. Be there for him when he needs you. You've done this before with Henry and in spite of what you may think you didn't fail him. He's a bright inquisitive lad who has a lot of self-confidence and who can surround himself with people who care about him. That's the opposite of failure Regina. I would say continue as you are. Make sure you get out in Storybrooke more, get people used to Liam and Liam used to the town. Get everyone including Henry used to seeing you as Regina rather than the evil queen."

She smiles and nods at him, "I'll try. Thank you Archie, you really think I can do this?"

He smiles encouragingly, "I really do"

"I'm still worried about Liam. What if something happens at school?"

"It won't Regina and if it does you'll be there to help him through it. It's natural to worry about one's children. Just try and keep yourself occupied. And I know it sounds clichéd but take it one day at a time"

"I will Dr Hopper. Can we make this a weekly appointment?"

"Of course, we still have some time left before my next patient"

Regina shakes her head, "I think all of that will do for today" she says jokingly though if she's honest it's draining making herself unburden her worries to another person. Deep down she knows she can trust Archie but the problem with being alone for as long as she had been is that it becomes very difficult to feel that anyone will even want to listen to your problems let alone help you through them.

Archie nods in understanding, "Alright Regina, until next week"

* * *

Regina pushes open the door to Granny's not even flinching as people send glares her way though she does note there seem to be less of them this afternoon. She's spent most of her morning after her session with Archie just milling around the house but between the boredom and the loneliness she knew she had to get out for lunch. So here she is in the Diner. Mercifully it's Granny who serves her.

"Finally getting yourself out of the house again dear?" Granny asks relieved. At Regina's nod she adds, "It's about time"

"Well Granny I would have been out sooner but you know things to do, dinosaur movies to watch" Regina replies in a dry tone.

Granny shakes her head though she's glad to see that Regina has shown her face in town again. She hopes it won't be another week before she does so again, "So what drags you out here to mingle with us peasantry then?" she asks with a small grin knowing that from her Regina will know this is a joke and not a harshly directed comment.

"I enrolled Liam in school"

At Regina's glowing smile Granny grins back pouring her a to-go cup of coffee, "Oh I bet he looks adorable in his new school uniform."

"He does"

"Well come on there girl you must have pictures?"

Regina blushes before shaking her head nervous of disappointing the other woman, "Tomorrow?" she asks with her head down. Granny frowns tilting her head back up, "That's fine Regina. I suppose I can wait a day" she adds with a smile hoping the brunette will realise she is not disappointed in her. Quite the opposite in fact.

"What can I get you this afternoon?" Granny asks changing the subject quickly.

"Can I have the BLT to go and whatever Emma normally gets please?"

"Emma?" Granny asks raising her brown and giving her a knowing smirk. She laughs as Regina blushes before rapidly saying "We're friends"

"Of course dear. Did I say any different?" Granny replies innocently before sending the order through shaking her head at the admittedly poor denial form the other woman. _God those two are blind sometimes. _

* * *

Emma frowns staring down at her paperwork. Who knew there'd be so many reports for a town whose biggest case last week was who was knocking over Mrs Ginger's bins? (Pongo) Her stomach growls and she looks up at the clock to see it's already half 12. _Maybe I should go over to the mansion_ she thinks. She was there yesterday and she worries she's imposing but then again neither Liam nor Regina seem to mind her popping in on them. For that she's very grateful. As much as she loves her parents and Henry it's nice to go somewhere where she isn't the saviour but is instead Emma. If she's honest there are times when she has missed just being Sheriff Emma Swan.

"Hard at work Emma?" a rich voice rings through her thoughts and she smiles wondering if she somehow conjured the woman standing before her holding food. _Hmm food_.

"The usual. Though do I have to do all of this? There's no-one to hand it to anyway"

Regina scoffs and rolls her eyes handing the blonde her lunch, "Yes you have to do it. One day your parents might hold an election and whoever becomes mayor of this town will need you to have your office in order"

"It was a lot easier when you were in charge" Emma admits taking a bite of the sandwich. "Thanks for lunch"

"You're welcome and I doubt many people share your view Emma"

"Well they should. Let's face it you're the only one who knows jack about running a town"

"True but I don't think many people would vote for me dear"

Emma frowns noticing the slightly crestfallen look that ghosts over the brunette's face. "Where's Liam?" she asks to direct the conversation away from things Regina has lost.

"At school" Regina replies proudly.

"So you finally enrolled him then?" Emma asks glad Snow got through to her.

The rest of the lunch passes in easy conversation and Emma once again finds herself engrossed in the former mayor's stories. She wishes she'd spent less time arguing and fighting with the brunette and more time with this Regina who laughs and smiles and helps her with reports.

Their peaceful lunch is interrupted by the jarring sound of two cell-phones ringing at once. Both women frown before answering,

"Henry did what?!" Emma asks, "Yeah I'll be right there" she says with an exasperated sigh as Regina says, "Snow it's not your fault. I'm coming over"

Emma helps Regina into her coat, "D'ya want a lift?"

"Yes please Emma" she says with a sigh. They both fall into silence as Emma drives to the school, both wondering what will await them when they arrive.

_On Saturday I am returning to uni but I shall do my best to update weekly. I'm always happy to hear what you guys think. Thank you for reading :)_


	5. Chapter 5

_Sorry for the wait. Between illness and critical essays it's been a very busy first week back. I'm probably only going to get busier over the next few months but I shall do my best to update regularly. Thank you for all the feedback so far :) My apologies for any mistakes. I hope you enjoy this chapter :)_

Emma quickly manoeuvres the bug through the town towards the school. It's not that far in a town like Storybrooke yet the journey feels like it takes an hour. Emma frowns feeling the tension and fear radiating off of the brunette next to her. The worried silence isn't helping her own apprehension about getting to the school. She's never dealt with this sort of thing before. She's used to being the happy go lucky fun mom. It's only recently that she's had to step up and attempt to discipline Henry. Not that it goes very well. Unfortunately for her a year of being his buddy and undermining Regina means he has no respect for her authority at all. Actually he doesn't seem to have any for anyone. She sighs knowing this is something she needs to talk to Henry about but she keeps putting it off. She knows why. The kid still won't talk to Regina because he's still set on ignoring his brunette mother, he seems to let go of the whole "she's up to no good" theory but he's still sulking over it.

Emma knows it's not good parenting, that she shouldn't be so afraid of her kid but she is. She's scared of losing his fickle heart. She's scared to push Henry away and have him run off to someone else without looking back like he's done to Regina. Emma swerves into the school parking lot and is about to offer a word of reassurance to the brunette only to see the other woman has already fled the vehicle. _That's a good mother_ she thinks _the kind who doesn't even wait for the car to stop because the need to get to her children is more important. _It's not the most practical thing but it's a deep form of maternal love. She loves Henry but she hasn't had the ten years of maternal experience Regina has. And as evil as she may have been all those decades again there isn't a doubt in Emma's mind about the fact that Regina cares deeply for kids. So deeply in fact that it causes her pain.

She steps out of the car running after the brunette who stumbles up the steps in her rush to get into the building. "You okay?" Emma asks helping her up. She nods her teeth grazing her lower lip. She's not okay. Regina knows she isn't. This is almost exactly what she was afraid of. Her child hurt or god knows what else after she left him go. The rational part of her mind is telling her that her children are fine but that rational logical side tends to fall away once you hear that not just one, but both of your sons need to be collected from school. _Just please let them be okay_.

She makes her way down the corridors with ease before winding up in Snow's now empty classroom aside from two sheepish looking boys. "Regina, Emma" Snow greets. Henry is leaning on his desk holding an ice-pack to his cheek, the other flushed bright red as he avoids looking at the other boy and his mothers. Liam stares down at his scuffed shoes worriedly chewing on his bottom lip. He didn't mean to lose his temper but Henry just wouldn't stop.

_Henry skulks across the playground. He's been in a mood all week. Emma has tried to cheer him up but as much as he loves her she doesn't know what works. Not like she does. He sighs kicking a stone in the playground. _

_He looks up spotting Liam across the playground. His jaw sets in a tight line. It's all his fault he thinks sulkily. After all he didn't even miss her until Liam came along. Then he saw her taking care of him, treating him to pancakes and now dropping him off at school. All things she used to do with him he thinks sadly. Not anymore. _

_Part of him knows it's his fault he doesn't have that anymore. After all he pushed her away, said he didn't want her. He was angry, he let that blind him but going back to her means admitting that he made a mistake. Surely only the bad guys make mistakes right? He doesn't want to be a bad guy. But then why does he get that strange feeling in his gut whenever he sees Regina and Liam together? Why does it hurt so much? _

_It's all Liam's fault. Were it not for him he'd be happy right now. He'd be in that loft with Emma and his grandparents and he wouldn't care that it was crowded or that they give him the wrong cereal every morning. He wouldn't care that they turn all the lights off whereas she would leave the hallway one on just in case. He wouldn't care about any of that. He wouldn't miss her. He wouldn't regret pushing her away. _

_But he has to right? She's the evil queen. Emma's the saviour. If he has to choose surely he has to choose the saviour? _

_"Hi Henry" he startles out of his thoughts only to see it's Liam. The younger boy had wandered over at seeing how miserable the other looked. Plus Henry is really the only kid here he knows. The others in his class were nice enough but he doesn't know them. Plus he figures if this kid is Regina's son as well then that kind of makes him his brother and you're supposed to look after your brothers. _

_"Hey Liam" Henry grumbles not looking at him. _

_"Are you okay?" Liam asks. _

_"Fine" comes the monosyllabic response. He can feel anger boiling up in his gut right now. Liam has what he wants. What he thinks he shouldn't want. He can feel that familiar urge to lash out rising again. He hates it. He hates all of it. They made him choose. Now they chastise him for pushing her away? It doesn't make any sense to him. They're supposed to hate her and instead they look at him like he's in the wrong. _

_"You don't look fine" Liam replies oblivious to the irritation building on Henry's face. _

_"What do you care?!" Henry snaps turning to face Liam. _

_"You looked upset" Liam answers unsure as to why Henry is snapping at him. _

_"I said I'm fine!" Henry yells his voice raising in denial, "And even if I wasn't why would I tell you?" _

_"Because Regina's your Mommy too. And she loves you. And she wouldn't want you to be sad" Liam explains with a shrug. _

Your Mommy too. _"She's not your Mommy" Henry grits out between clenched teeth. Regina is his Mommy. His. _

_"Yes she is" Liam says defensively. _

_"She's not. She's mine!" Henry yells ignoring the crowd that has begun to gather. _

_"She's mine too!" _

_"But she was mine first! And now you get everything I used to. And I was happy until you showed up. You ruined everything!" Henry shouts a stray tear rolling down his cheek. He was supposed to be happy when the curse broke. And he was until Liam came along. _

_Liam's lower lip wobbles, "Shut up" he whispers trying not to let Henry's words get to him. _You ruined everything_. It's exactly what his old mommy used to say. _

_"Why should I?" _

_"Because you're being mean" Liam sniffles. _

_Henry glares at his response. He can feel the eyes of the other kids burning holes into his back. Judging him. _

_"You think I'm mean? She's the evil queen" he says in defence. He knows it's flimsy. It's all he has to cling to. If she's the evil queen and not his Mom he doesn't have to feel this way. _

_"She's not like that anymore!" Liam shouts. He's bored of hearing this. He's heard whispers from the other children about seeing the evil queen until the teacher shushed them giving him a sympathetic look. But the main person he's sick of hearing it from is Henry. He's seen first-hand what kind of momma Regina is. She's not evil. _

_"I bet she is" Henry grumbles. _

_"She isn't. You're just saying that so you don't have to realise you pushed her away" _

_"It was her fault. She was evil!" he shouts back. _

_"She isn't anymore. So stop saying it" _

_"No" _

_"She's your Mom" _

_"She's yours. You want her. You can have her" Henry sneers making it seem like he's handing him an unwanted toy. His sneer falls into shock as small hands push him to the ground before one punches him in the face, "Don't talk about her like that" _

_"Like what?" He asks trying to push Liam off him. He knows full well what Liam means. Yeah he feels bad about it but he doesn't want to. It's easier to push her away then admit he was wrong. _

_Liam doesn't get the chance to answer because Snow pulls the younger boy off of Henry shooting them both concerned glances, "What happened here?" _

"Henry? Liam? What happened?" Regina asks looking between the two boys. She reaches out to examine Henry's face but he shoves her hand away before looking pointedly at Liam, "He's the one you want" he says bitterly before pushing her out of the way and walking past her to a shocked looking Emma.

"Gonna apologise to your Mom kid?" she asks appalled at his continual disrespectful behaviour.

"No. I'm going home" he says authoritatively.

Emma frowns as Regina looks Liam up and down for injuries, pleased to find none. She listens as Liam gives both her and Emma a recap of the fight and the lead-up. "You'll stay right here" Emma says sternly. Henry frowns having not heard this tone from her before. "What?" he asks in disbelief.

"Regina and I are the parents here Henry. _We_ are in charge not you so you will stay here in this classroom until we sort this out" she finishes doing her best to brush off the annoyed glare Henry shoots her before he sulks back into the room. She catches Snow nodding at her proudly and Regina regarding her with a sympathetic look of having been in this position before. Of having to discipline and being resented for it.

"Liam you okay?" Emma asks and he nods, "Yeah, sorry bout punching Henry"

Regina frowns at his crestfallen look, "You have to apologise to Henry not her Liam"

"Tried" he mumbles.

"He did. Henry refused to apologise for what he said and wouldn't accept Liam's either" Snow says. In spite of her attempts to get her grandson to see that Liam was sorry and that actually he too owed Liam an apology, Henry has adamantly refused to do so. She loves him she does but boy does one, if not both, of his mothers need to teach him about respect for other people.

"Henry?" Both his mothers ask demanding an explanation.

"He shoved and punched me" he says indignantly.

Emma scoffs, "Kid if you had said something like that to me when I was his age you'd have got a lot worse"

"Emma" Regina says scoldingly.

The blonde turns to face the other woman, "Regina he shouldn't say things like that and actually he needs to hear what I have to say so please?" she asks. Regina nods sensing how important this is to the other woman.

"Henry" Emma begins turning back to her scowling son, "Liam was trying to help you. To make you feel better. How do you repay that? By acting like a complete jackass" she ignores Regina's grimace at the language as she covers Liam's ears, "You are not infallible Henry. No-one is. And when you make a mistake and do something wrong you apologise. That is what a good person does. A good person acknowledges when they have screwed up. They don't continue denying it and lashing out at other people like you've been doing. Because you know what kid that isn't fair. You can't blame Liam for your own guilt. You pushed Regina away Henry. Liam didn't take her. You gave her away. And yeah I get it you're jealous"

"Am not" he mutters.

"You are Henry. I was in the foster system. You think I can't recognise jealousy when I see it? But you know what Henry, you can't have it both ways. You can't reject Regina and pick on Liam for loving her. Your Mom has a great capacity for love and she loves you and she loves Liam. Her loving Liam doesn't change her loving you. Liam loving her doesn't change it either. You're allowed to miss your Mom kid. But don't blame anyone else for your missing her. You pushed her away. You rejected her. You have to own up to that. And yeah I know you think this is harsh but you know what kid you need to hear this. For the past year your Mom and I have pandered to you. We both wanted your love and so we let you get away with so much and that was our mistake because we let you run the show. We let you get entitled. We let you think that you are in charge and above our discipline. And so I'm sorry for that. I am. Things have to change Henry. Regina and I we're your parents. We both love you. But we can't fight for your love by giving you what you want all the time. That isn't parenting. Sometimes parenting is the fun stuff and other times it's stepping up and letting you know you aren't perfect Henry. No-one is."

"So it's my fault"

"It's all our fault" Regina says with a sniff as she looks at Emma with awe and appreciation. "We let you become this way Henry and I'm sorry too. I caused you a lot of pain but I can't keep apologising for it. You know I'm sorry and I will regret causing you that pain every day of my life but you can't act the way you have been. You walk around here like you're God's gift to the entire town but Emma's right. You're capable of making mistakes Henry. Everyone is. Part of growing up is facing up to that"

"I'm sorry I hit you Henry" Liam pipes up having listened carefully to both their speeches about responsibility and deciding to own up as well. Even if Henry won't accept it he still needs to apologise.

Henry nods, "It's okay" he mumbles. Deep down he knows what his moms have said is right. That doesn't mean he wanted to hear it. He knows that he should stop being so stubborn, that he can't have it both ways. He knows admitting he misses his mom means apologising for pushing her away so much. It's a sucky thing to realise that the right thing is also the hard thing.

He should apologise but then he stops mid-breath. He hurt both his mothers without even realising it. He pit them against each other until it forced him to choose. It was their fault but it was his too. They all messed up. They apologised. What if he apologises and nothing changes? What if he still has to miss one mom to be with the other? What if he still has to watch Regina with Liam and be reminded of the things he made himself forget?

Regina frowns tilting her head as she regards Henry's thoughtful expression. It's one she recognises from his childhood. The one where he wants to do something but he lets fear hold him back. Normally he pushes past it. That's one of the qualities she admires about her son, his strength and determination. Bravery though doesn't mean a person doesn't want help. Sometimes they just don't want to ask because they're used to doing things by themselves. Children shouldn't have to she thinks looking between her sons. Both Liam and Henry have been forced to be independent, to take charge of their own lives. She burdened one son with the weight of her past until the point where he thought he didn't need her or Emma. That was her mistake. She's doing her best now though to let go of the weight of the Evil Queen. She just hopes Henry can too. Liam was burdened by his own parents too. She's doing her best to make him see he's not alone in this world. That he deserves love and to be looked after. For both her sons she wants to take some of the weight, to help them where she can, as long as they'll let her.

She takes one of Liam's hands before sidling over to Henry and kneeling down taking one of his hands in her other. "Henry, no matter what happens you will always be my son. I'm sorry that Emma and I made you feel like you had to choose because you shouldn't have had to. You should have had us both. If you want that then you know I'll be waiting for you. I love you. My loving Liam, taking in him as my son doesn't change that. And Liam what Henry said to you wasn't true. You want me to be your Mommy, so I'm your Mommy. You've ruined nothing. You're both my boys. I love you both. Nothing will change that. Regardless of that you both need to apologise to each other and you both are in trouble, Liam for fighting and Henry for being as your mother so eloquently put it a 'jackass'."

Liam smiles at her before hugging her tightly, "Love you too Momma. Henry I'm sorry"

Henry nods taking in her words as well. He should have known she'd guess. She'd always been able too even when he wasn't talking to her. _Must be a Mom thing_ he thinks. "I'm sorry" he says quietly looking at his mom hugging Liam but still holding his hand. They both look up at him and he's reminded of being hugged be her when he was young and accepted them. He wishes he hadn't shoved her away so many times.

He pauses a moment before barrelling into her arms joining in the hug, "Sorry Mommy"

"Okay Henry" she says rubbing his back in an old comforting motion, "We can talk more about it later alright?" at hid nod she adds, "Any other apologies Henry?"

He smiles sheepishly before pulling back slightly, "Liam I'm sorry too. I shouldn't have said what I did. Truce?" he asks extending his hand. Liam eyes it confusedly before smiling and shaking the offered hand.

Regina smiles at the interaction before looking up and noticing Emma fidgeting awkwardly watching the trio. Her heart aches slightly at the lost look on the blonde's face as she regards them. She feels the need to fix it. Emma stood up for her, she challenged Henry, she defended her. Nobody ever used to do that. Emma was the first to do all three in a long time. Emma for her part feels her heart swell looking at them, they look like a familial unit, one she is on the outside of – that is the part that hurts. She doesn't know what to do until Regina's eyes meet her own. "Want to get in on this?" the brunette asks with a soft smile.

Emma nods grateful for the offer, glad the brunette knew she needed it, before she walks over and crouches down joining in the hug. She smiles noticing the happy look on Regina's face as she holds both boys in her arms.

Snow watches on from the distance, noticing the truly content looks on both her daughter and Regina's faces. She hasn't seen either of them look as happy or relaxed in a long time. She hadn't expected them to find it in each other but all she sees looking at them right now is a family.

_After the week I've had I needed a family hug, since I can't have one Regina can. Next chapter will have more family interaction plus Regina and Henry will be having a talk. So will Henry and Liam. Always happy to hear what you think. Thank you for reading :)_


	6. Chapter 6

_I have been waiting since the last update to get this written! And finally after completing my other two updates and between the evergrowing mountain of paperwork and dissertation research I found time to write :) Thank you all so much for waiting and bearing with me and for your lovely reviews. They really do make my day. Apologies for any mistakes. Hope you enjoy this chapter :) _

Snow clears her throat causing the four of them to turn and look at her. She notices that neither Emma nor Regina loosens their grip on the other or the boys. She smiles at them happy to see them both look so relaxed with each other, on the other had she wonders when they got so close and how she didn't notice. She makes a note to ask Emma just exactly what her relationship with Regina is. She knows her daughter's been making an effort with Regina because of Henry but she can't help but wonder if it runs deeper than that.

"Right" she begins clearing her throat, "Normally punishment for this is a week-long suspension but given the circumstances I feel I can let you two deal with this in-house?"

Emma and Regina nod though only Emma notices the way Regina's smile falters slightly at this. "Thanks Snow, what about today?"

"Take them home for the rest of the day, let them have some cooling off time and then we can start fresh tomorrow" Snow replies with an optimistic smile.

Emma nods, "Okay guys lets go" she says standing slowly. She helps Regina up who eyes her with confusion. "I drove you here" Emma reminds her with a small smile. Her heart skips a beat at the slight blush that colours tan cheeks for a moment until the brunette shakes it off, "Of course, lead the way"

She lets the boys walk ahead before falling behind Emma as well. Regina sighs folding her arms across her chest as they make their way to the car. She knows she needs to punish Henry and Liam but at the same time she's scared. Scared that she would be overstepping by punishing Henry. She finds herself uncertain as to whether or not she has the right to bestow that anymore? Today is the first time he's spoken to her in over a week. She wants today to be a turning point not just another day where he resents her for being strict and pushes her away again. Regina releases another sigh, she shouldn't feel like this, none of them should – this isn't the way family is meant to be. They aren't supposed to be walking around on eggshells afraid that one will run at the slightest provocation. They all need the security of being a family. _Roots_. That's what she told Emma over a year ago. That children need roots. She tried to provide them for Henry but somehow along the way they got tangled. She doesn't want that to happen again. She needs to talk to Henry. She needs them both to feel secure, for him to know that just because she scolds him for doing something wrong doesn't mean she doesn't love him and she needs to know that he won't push her away again. She's not sure she could take it if he would.

Then there's Liam. She can't leave him unpunished either. It would be a double standard and well in her life she's been screwed over enough by double standards. She's not about to enact one herself. Punishing one means punishing both of them no matter how hard that will be. Yet again fear holds her back. Her relationship with Liam is so new, he loves her and he's happy. She's happy. It reminds her of how she and Henry used to be before he found out about the adoption – happy, carefree, relaxed with each other and confident in the love they had for each other. She doesn't want to lose that with either of her sons.

Emma too finds herself strangely nervous. She's never really disciplined Henry. Her time in the foster system meant that she witnessed many forms of punishment, none of which she would ever mete out on Henry. That first year she knew him she was the fun Mom, Regina did the disciplining while she did the fun. She sighs knowing that that wasn't fair. Emma wishes she had tried to share the burden with Regina more, maybe then she'd know what to do now. Plus it doesn't help she thinks that she basically let Henry have free rein over the past few months. She remembers Regina telling her about roots. _Some great stability I've given him so far_. It's not fully her fault, she was sucked into a portal and all but still she knows things have to change. Emma takes another glance back at the uncertain looking brunette behind her offering her a reassuring smile. Her heart aches at the smile returned to her, one that doesn't reach Regina's eyes. _I can let you two deal with this in-house_, her mother's words echo in her ears. She pauses with a frown wondering how she didn't pick up on that earlier. She finds she doesn't mind that Snow immediately assumed she and Regina would do this together. _How did that happen?_ She asks herself though she knows deep down this has been simmering for a while. That doesn't mean it doesn't surprise her at how comfortable she feels around Regina, Liam and Henry. They in the past week or so have become her solace. Home for has always been that carrot on the end of the stick – that elusive joy she couldn't find but she muses being in that mansion with Regina she feels like she's finished searching.

Emma smiles stepping back so she can walk next to Regina. Their hands brush against each other lightly, both ignoring the slight rush of tingles that run through their bodies at the contact, before their arms settle close to one another. "Everything okay?" Emma asks.

Regina looks up shooting a quick look at the boys ahead of them before answering with a small sigh, "I'm glad they're okay"

Emma frowns, "That really wasn't an answer"

"Was so" Regina replies with a hint of a smile.

"It was an evasion at best"

"An effective one?"

"Nuh-uh, spill it Regina if we're going to sort this out we do it together"

"Together?" the brunette asks, hope shining in chocolate eyes making the blonde's stomach do backflips.

"Together" Emma confirms with a smile.

Regina smiles back, her heart warmed by the fact that Emma wants them to be in this together. Co-parents she thinks, I like that. She sighs though still not completely comfortable with being vulnerable and open but somehow for Emma she finds she wants to try, "Okay, I'm worried" she says slowly.

"About?"

"Punishing Henry and Liam"

"Me too"

"Really? Why are you worried?"

"Because I've never punished a kid before. What if he hates me for it?"

"He won't. He loves you Emma, one punishment that he deserves won't change that" as she speaks she smiles as the answer to her own worries soothes Emma's.

"So why were you worried?" Emma asks feeling somewhat assuaged by Regina's response though still a little nervous.

"I was worried Liam and Henry would push me away for punishing them" Regina admits with a small blush. Emma makes note of the slightly rosy cheeks and makes the bold move of looping an arm over the brunette's shoulders, "Well I think you already know they won't hate you for it. They both love you Regina"

"I know, I just can't help but feel scared"

Emma sighs, "Me neither, we need to fix that don't we?"

Regina nods, "Yes. I think I need to talk to Henry"

Emma nods chewing thoughtfully on her lip, "How about we all go back to yours? Then you can talk to Henry. The boys could hang out and maybe work on their issues. And then we could all have dinner"

The smile that Regina sends her way dazzles her, "I'd like that Emma" she grins happily. Emma and both her sons in the same house for dinner. That's something she wants more often. A family. She blinks wondering when she started thinking of the blonde as her family. _How did that happen? _ She thinks as Henry calls "Come on slowpokes!" across the car park. Liam smiles bouncing on his feet before parroting Henry, "Yeah come on slowpokes!" he yells waving at them both.

Emma smiles at Regina, "Wanna race?"

Regina blinks, "Excuse me?"

"A race, whoever gets to the car first decides what we eat for dinner"

"You're on Emma"

"Pretty confident huh?"

"Oh Emma you have no idea what I'm capable of" Regina replies playfully leaning into Emma before pushing away and taking off in a dead run.

"Hey no fair!" Emma shouts running after the laughing brunette.

* * *

Unsurprisingly Regina won and in spite of Emma's impassioned pleas that she had cheated dinner was definitely going to be lasagne.

"You still cheated" Emma huffs as they walk into the mansion.

"Did not" Regina replies with a smirk.

"You had a head-start"

"Whatever it takes Emma"

"Unfair"

"It was a race, you're meant to go fast Em-ma" she teases with a happy smile.

Emma's reply lodges in her throat as she takes in the carefree smiling brunette before her. This is the Regina she wants to see more of. The happy Regina.

Regina notices Henry and Liam trying to sneak their way up the stairs and smiles whilst shaking her head remembering how Henry used to do this when he was little and in trouble. She finds herself glad that some things don't change.

"And where do you two think you're going?" she asks placing her hands on her hips.

Henry laughs nervously whilst Liam looks away, "Uhm we were just going to go upstairs?" Henry asks.

Emma laughs before standing next to Regina, "Nice try kid"

"Come back down. We need to talk about what happened"

Henry sighs before trudging down the stairs, Liam following behind him slowly with a glum look on his face. Regina frowns noticing his worry before leading them both to the living room. She waits for them both to sit down before she kneels down in front of them. Emma stands awkwardly in the door frame until Regina beckons her over. "Together Emma" she whispers quietly. Emma smiles. This may be one of the hard parts of being a parent but the fact that Regina reached out for her and wanted her to be included in this supersedes that for her.

"Right" Emma nods before taking a deep breath, "Okay I know you guys apologised at the school but we still need to talk about the fact you were fighting in the first place"

"But we're weally sorry!" Liam says quickly pouting a little.

Regina smiles sadly before looking up at them both, "I know you both are but you still did something wrong and we can't let you get away with that. You need to know that if you do something bad that there are consequences. I know that" she turns to Henry, "It took me a long time to realise them but there are always consequences. I did a lot of terrible things and I did them without caring for what would happen later. I know that your fight is nothing like the things I've done but what I've learned is that if you do something wrong you have to own up to it and you have to try and make it right and for that reason I can't let you go around thinking you can get away with anything. It's unfair to me and Emma because you'll disrespect us and it's unfair to you guys because you'll think you can do bad things like run off or fight and that nothing will come of it" she pauses for breath looking to Emma who takes over, "Henry I'm not good at this. I don't have experience doing this, with punishing you. For a long time I've been afraid to because I'd seen how you treated Regina when she tried to discipline you. I didn't want you to push me away because you'd only just come into my life and so I let you get away with skipping school and disrespecting your Mom and I shouldn't have done that. I'm sorry" her apology is for Henry but it's a little for Regina too and the brunette knows it. She smiles before squeezing the blonde's hand.

"Henry. Liam." She says to get both their attention, "What I want for you two, for all of us is for us to be a family. And part of that to me means stability. Henry, me and your Ma shouldn't be scared of you pushing us away over punishment and we shouldn't have let you get away with so much. Liam, I promised myself and you when I found you that I would give you a home and part of that unfortunately is punishing you if you misbehave. In light of that I'm grounding you for a week"

"Grounding?" Liam asks confusedly.

"No TV for a week" Regina clarifies. Liam frowns folding his arms over his chest. Henry looks between his mothers for a moment before speaking, "I just want to say I'm sorry I made you guys feel afraid of me. I'm not going to push you away again I promise"

"That's okay kid" Emma says.

"Thank you Henry"

"Is my punishment the same as Liam's?" he asks uncertain as to whether or not his Mom's authority extends to him. He doesn't live here but she's his mother.

Emma nods, "Yeah kid, no TV. I was thinking though that maybe we should all go to Archie's"

Henry frowns, "I'm not crazy" he blurts out immediately on the defence.

Emma blinks slightly at his sudden response. Regina frowns guiltily, "No-one said you were Henry. I think Emma means so we can all work on our issues together. So that we can be a family and help each other right?"

Emma nods, "Yeah kid. I think it will do us all some good"

He chews his lip, "Okay I guess. Can I go to my room now?"

Regina looks up in surprise before a smile blooms over her face. She doesn't even care if this is temporary. He still calls it his room. That's what matters to her in this moment.

Emma nods, "Sure kid, do your homework whilst your Mom and I sort out dinner"

"You mean Mom" Henry jokes before gathering his books.

"Hey! More sass like that and I will cook dinner"

Henry puts on a pretence of being afraid before laughing and running up the stairs. Regina shakes her head at the pair before looking to Liam who is still pouting on the sofa.

"Li-am" she singsongs. He looks away with a sulky face.

She smiles before crawling across the floor, "Liam" she whispers.

Nothing.

"Liam" she whispers again this time tickling his knee. He chews down on his lip to stifle a laugh and Regina smiles again before tickling his stomach beneath the crossed arms. It takes a few moments where he tries to remain sulking until his mother's tickle attack becomes too much and he begins laughing, "Mo-mmy!" he yells.

"Yes?" Regina replies tilting her head with an innocent look.

"Do I really not get any TV for a week?" he whines.

She nods, "Afraid so Liam."

"And you're not sending me back?" he asks quietly.

Regina blinks before sitting up on the couch and bringing him into her lap, "Of course not honey"

"But I'm bad" he replies with a sniff.

"You're not bad Liam. You did something wrong but that doesn't make you a bad person okay? You're my little boy and you are most definitely a good person."

"I am?"

"Yes. But good people still misbehave sometimes"

"And they get grounded?"

"That they do"

"Even pwinces?"

"Well Henry's a prince and he got grounded didn't he?"

He nods before thinking something over in his head, "If Henwy's a pwince am I?"

Regina grins before hugging him and kissing him on the top of his head, "Yes my little prince Liam. I love you"

"Love you too Mommy"

She smiles feeling her heart do somersaults in her chest again. It's been a long day. It's been a draining day but both her sons are here, they both love her and Emma – well she doesn't really know yet. They're friends? She's not really sure anymore. All she knows is that a day without seeing the blonde feels like an incomplete one.

"Mommy I have homework too"

"You do?"

He nods, "Can you help?"

Regina smiles ruffling his hair, "Sure thing Liam, come on let's go sit at the table and do it"

They both run out oblivious to the blonde who had been watching the scene unfold with a small smile. Once they leave Emma quickly heads up the stairs before knocking on Henry's door, "Come in"

"Hey kid"

"Hey Ma"

"What are you working on?"

"Maths. Can you help?"

She wishes she could but as soon as she sees numbers it's a total brainfart. "I'd ask your Mom kid"

He nods and is about to leave when she speaks again, "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure"

"What was she like? When you were little I mean?"

He smiles to himself clearly thinking back, "She was my Mom" he replies simply. He doesn't know how to sum it all up. Henry looks at Emma and her sad expression. He remembers that she didn't have what he had and didn't get to experience being a Mom either. He sighs sadly wishing he hadn't taken having a mother for granted when kids like Liam and his Ma didn't get one. She may have had faults and been the evil queen in her past but she's still the Mommy who tucked him in at night and slept on his floor when he had nightmares.

"She was a really great Mommy. Even when she had loads of work to do she would still be there to pick me up from school. I remember one time I had the flu and it was budget season but she still took those days off to look after me. She would stay with me all day while I was sick watching movies and telling me stories until I fell asleep. I remember one time I came downstairs after I'd woken up in the middle of the night and I found her asleep on her desk with paperwork around her"

"She was working as well?"

"Yeah she would wait to do it until I'd gone to bed though because she wanted me to know she was there if I needed her"

"So what happened?"

"I found out I was adopted. I felt like she'd lied to me and then I got the book not long after that. I miss her" he adds quietly.

"You don't have to kid"

"I don't want to choose anymore. I want you both"

"You can have us both Henry. I gave birth to you and Regina was the one to take care of you and raise you. We're both your mothers. I'm sorry if we made you feel like you had to make a choice because you don't."

He nods, "Thanks Ma"

"Okay kid, let's go downstairs and get your homework sorted"

They head into the kitchen to find Regina helping Liam practice his letters as he forms them a little clumsily with his pencil, his tongue sticking out in concentration.

"Hey guys" Emma greets as she enters the kitchen.

"Hi" comes the twin reply from the table. Regina looks over to Henry, "Are you all finished?"

Henry wields the piece of paper in his hands like it's a deadly disease, "Nearly, just fractions" he says with a shudder. Emma and Regina laugh at his dramatics before the brunette waves him over to her with her hand, "Join the homework table Henry"

Emma smiles glancing up at the clock, "Hey I know you won the race and all but since it's six already maybe I should just order pizza?"

Regina frowns before smiling, "I get to choose the topping and we have lasagne tomorrow"

Emma rolls her eyes at the demanding tone before mock curtseying in front of the woman, "Of course your majesty"

Henry laughs, "Hey Mom, does Ma have to do that for me and Liam too?"

"Well you are both princes" Regina adds with a smirk as Emma grumbles before bowing down before Liam, "So tell me Prince Liam, what does his Majesty want on his pizza?"

"Um…dinosaurs"

Henry grins, "How about a flying dinosaur?" he asks. Liam nods excitedly as Emma looks up at him in confusion before repeating her question to him, "I want pepperoni" he replies.

"I'll have bacon" Regina adds before beckoning the blonde over to her, "Get Liam chicken" she whispers and Emma nods before phoning in the order.

* * *

Emma slumps down on the couch next to Regina who's swirling her wine in the glass in her hand. After their pizza both boys, after Henry made them paper crowns engaged in a mock sword duel leaving their mothers to sit down for a few moments as they played happily.

Around eight Regina carried Liam off to bed who fell asleep before his still crowned head hit the pillow. Regina smiled before placing the crown on his bedside table and kissing him on the head, "Goodnight little prince" she whispered before tucking him in.

Henry succumbed to exhaustion not long after leaving Emma to carry him up. The brunette had watched her surprised, her brain taking longer than her eyes to catch up to the fact that he was staying. In his bed. In his room. In this house.

"You okay?" Emma asks noticing the brunette's dumbstruck expression upon her return.

"He's staying here" she whispers. Emma looks into chocolate eyes and sees the happiness and the hope swirling in them, at the same time she sees a hint of fear, a look as if she worries that she'll blink and it will all just be a dream. Emma reaches for the brunette's hand again, "He's staying here, no sense waking him up if he's got a bed here right?"

"Right" Regina nods, "Would you like another drink?"

* * *

It's a few hours later and somewhere between the two bottles of wine they've shared during their impromptu Grey's Anatomy marathon both women are slightly tipsy.

"You're funny Emma" Regina giggles placing her empty wineglass on the table. Emma smiles lazily from her place on the floor reaching up to tickle the brunette's stomach as she leans over. Regina yelps before losing her already precarious grip on the sofa.

"Ouch" Emma laughs as the other woman lands on top of her.

"Sorry" Regina replies slurring slightly.

She leans up so she's sitting on the blonde's hips straddling her slightly. She stares down at Emma beneath her losing herself in blonde curls, piercing sea-green eyes and those lips, god those lips. She sighs to herself as she takes in the beauty beneath her.

"What's wrong?" Emma asks as Regina sighs. She can't take her eyes off the woman on top of her. Her dark hair slightly mussed from the fall and caramel eyes drinking her in. Maybe it's the wine. Maybe it isn't. Either way all she can see, all she wants to see right now, is Regina. Just Regina.

"Nothing" Regina mumbles. She giggles again watching the rise and fall of the other woman's chest, well more the movement of her breasts but still. She can feel the alcohol forming a slight haze in her mind but to her everything right now is Emma. Emma who believes in her. Emma who helps her. Emma who saves her. The Emma who sees her as Regina.

Neither really knows who initiates it. They seem to move as one, two bodies in liquid motion as lips press softly against each other in a slow and gentle exploration. A tongue runs over scarlet lips seeking permission before dancing with another. Hands slide into blonde curls, another cups a tanned cheek brushing slightly against falling brunette curls. Neither knows how long it lasts, just that they want to do it again. They do.

Regina is the first to pull away, breathless, lips slightly swollen. She giggles again, "I've wanted to do that for ages"

"Yeah?" the blonde asks sleepily from beneath her.

Regina rolls off Emma falling next to her, "Yeah" she yawns before dozing off.

_I was going to wait until the next chapter but Swan Queen (much like on the show) just seemed to write itself! Also Maths is the devil's work and brainfart is a condition that occurs upon contact with numbers wherein your brain comprehends nothing. NOTHING. Anyway, I'm always happy to hear what you think. Hope you enjoyed the chapter. I shall try and update quicker but we shall see what uni does in terms of giving me time to update Promises and Long Road Home first. Thank you for reading :)_


	7. Chapter 7

_Once again apologies for the delay in updating! I had loads of work to catch up on and then the new episode came out and there was just so much SQ goodness :) Thank you to all the people who reviewed the last chapter. To the guest from last time it is not lesbian bed death don't worry! This chapter was going to be a lot longer but I decided to split it in two in the end. Apologies for any mistakes. Hope you enjoy :) _

Liam sneaks down the stairs, stuffed T-Rex in tow, as he hunts for his Mommy who for some reason was not in her bed. He chews his lip having decided that maybe she was already up and walks into the kitchen. "No Mommy here Mr Sharptooth" he declares to his dinosaur compadre. He looks around in confusion before seeing a light on in the living room and walking towards it. He smiles upon successfully finding his Mommy on the floor with Emma. The small boy looks at them curiously, _why are they on the floor and not in a bed? _He smiles seeing how happy his Mommy and Miss Emma look.

He leans over tapping Regina on the shoulder, "Mommy, it's morning time" he says but she merely sighs before snuggling further into Emma's chest. He eyes the pair of them with curiosity, he's never seen grown-ups look this happy. The Mommy and Daddy he had before certainly never did this. He frowns thinking of them before looking back at the two sleeping women. He smiles because they're both happy.

Liam stands back up upon hearing footsteps from above. He blinks in surprise seeing Henry come down the stairs. Emma and Henry stayed? It's new but it's a good kind of a new, the kind that isn't scary but is instead safe and really doesn't feel new and strange at all. Henry rubs his eyes as he looks around the ground floor, "Moms?" he asks. Liam clambers up onto the sofa so that Henry can see him, "Hi Henry" he calls waving from across the living room.

"Morning Liam" he says through a yawn. As much as he loves his grandparents and their apartment there's a lot to be said for sleeping in his own bed again. He was amazed to find how much he missed his old room. It was this morning waking up there for the first time in over six months surrounded by all the things his Mom had provided for him over the years that he realised what he left behind. He frowns thinking of all these parts of his childhood, the bits and pieces he'd pushed aside and taken for granted because of a book of incomplete stories, it's only now that he's aware just how much he's missed these things. He finds it's not just the big things like being in his room and having both his moms here but the small ones, like the blanket she made him or the nightlight she installed when he was scared of the dark, that remind him just how much he missed his mom and how much she loved him. _I'm lucky_ he thinks standing there in the living room, in spite of everything he has two moms who love him no matter what and who in spite of the pain of the past he loves as well. It's more than a lot of people get. He thinks of the things his mothers told him yesterday, about being a family together and helping each other, waking up here this morning made him realise how much he wants that and well if they're willing to try then so is he.

"Henry look" Liam says beckoning him over.

Henry walks over smiling at the younger boy. He peers over Liam's shoulder to see his mothers curled up together on the floor. _Grown-ups are weird_. He raises his eyebrow bemused at the scene before him. He finds himself surprisingly unsurprised by the sight. He frowns at his lack of shock. A few weeks ago he'd probably have been appalled, a week ago he'd certainly have been shocked but then he was so wrapped up in himself and Liam and Regina that he wasn't really paying that much attention to the growing friendship between his mothers. To him it existed on the periphery of his life, it was happening but he just didn't notice it. He looks back down at the sleeping pair on the floor, he knew they were becoming friends but the way they're cuddled up together tells him something more is going on or is about to happen. Henry chews his lip as he observes them, the way Emma's arm is slung over and around Regina's waist and the way Regina has curled into her side, realising that it's been a long time since he's seen either of them look so relaxed and happy. He's not sure exactly what's going on between them right now, all he knows is that they've all been miserable for far too long and right now he wants them all to be happy. The curse breaking was meant to bring happy endings. Looking down at his sleeping mothers with Liam standing next to him he wonders if maybe theirs is right here, if it's always been here hiding in the home he'd been trying to leave.

"Henry I'm hungry" Liam says distracting him from thoughts about his mothers. He makes a note to watch more closely from now on. He turns to Liam with a smile remembering how he used to wake his Mom up on those rare mornings she slept in.

"Hey Liam, I have an idea" he says conspiratorially before beckoning for Liam to come closer. The little boy watches him curiously still slightly nervous about how to interact with Henry. Henry notices and frowns guiltily wishing he hadn't been so mean to the little boy. "It's a secret brother plan" he whispers hoping to make amends. Luckily for him Liam hears the word "brother" and perks up immediately, "What is it?" he asks excitedly. He likes this side of Henry much better, the one who's nice to him and plays and acts like the big brother he pictured when he was out alone.

"Have you ever heard of a tickle alarm?" Henry asks.

"Nuh-uh"

"Well we both need breakfast before school so we need to wake them up right?"

"Right"

"Right. So when little boys need to wake up their sleeping mommies we must resort to _the tickle alarm_!" he declares giving the last three words extra emphasis to add a sense of grandeur to the idea.

Liam grins with excitement, "A tickle alarm" he repeats trying to add a booming kind of voice like Henry.

Henry grins back, "Yep. Follow my lead" he says before dive-bombing his moms and beginning the tickle assault. Liam watches for a few moments before deciding that this game does indeed look like fun and jumping from the settee to tickle his Mommy and Emma.

"I surrender!" Emma half laughs, half groans as she slowly wakes up. She blinks seeing Regina curled into her clearly turning further into her in an attempt to shield herself from further tickling and remain asleep. _Adorable_ Emma thinks as memories of last night assail her. _The kiss. Kisses! She kissed me. Holy crap. She likes me. REGINA likes me_. She groans, it's way too early for this kind of panic. Instead she looks up at Liam and Henry who are awaiting her reaction with stifled laughs as they wait to see if she is amused or angry. She lets them sweat for a few moments before grinning at the mischievous boys, "Okay guys let's get this Mommy awake" she says before tickling the brunette right in the sensitive spot under her knee encouraging the boys to join in.

Regina yelps awake blinking open her eyes to find herself tickled from three sides. She blushes slightly as she catches sight of Emma. _I kissed her. She kissed me back. We kissed. Oh god. Does she remember? Does she still feel the same way? _Hell she's still not entirely certain what she feels beyond the knowledge that she lov-wait likes Emma in a more than a friend kind of way. Henry notices the flush to her cheeks and smiles slightly, yep something happened last night but he can tell from the way his mother slowly recovers her senses, grins and begins tickling back that whatever it was the start of something good.

"Moms can we have breakfast now?" Henry asks hunger quickly overtaking tickling.

"Yeah breakfast!" Liam adds.

Regina smiles, "Alright, alright, let me get up first. How about we all go get changed first and then I'll get breakfast started?" she suggests looking to Emma before making such a statement to both boys. The blonde blinks in surprise before nodding.

The boys run upstairs to get into their uniforms leaving the two women alone, "I think I have something you can borrow" Regina says awkwardly fidgeting on her feet. Emma smiles, "Uh yeah thanks". Both know they need to talk and yet they find themselves both afraid to mention it for fear of messing up whatever is building between them. Emma follows Regina up the stairs chewing her lip and trying to look anywhere that isn't the glorious booty in grabbing reach. Somehow she guesses that particular action wouldn't do any good in dissolving the tension between them right now. _Maybe later_ her mind thinks and she stifles a grin, _yeah Swan if you ever work up the courage to talk to her and ask her if she likes you. _She smiles though thinking of this morning and what it was like to wake up with Regina in her arms, even if they only kissed it still felt right, as if her arms had been searching for home all their life and last night she found it. She remembers how happy Henry looked this morning too. She knows that even if he wasn't aware or wouldn't admit it that he has missed this place and Regina and honestly seeing him grin the way he was this morning is something she wants to see every day. Whatever may come later when she finds the bravery to talk to Regina, to admit what lies hidden in her heart, she knows that this is one of the best mornings she's had in a long time.

Regina up front is leading the blonde up the stairs trying to find the courage to get her mouth to form words. The only problem is that every time she parts her lips to do so all she can picture is Emma's lips doing the same and meeting hers like they did last night. All she can feel is that buzz of joy humming in her lips and floating through her entire body as she thinks of how easy and pure that kiss was and how she didn't feel scared or nervous but perfectly safe. She thinks of being woken by Liam, Henry and Emma and how her heart felt assured and warmed by the sound of their laughter as they tickled her into consciousness. It's that feeling she's been missing since Henry began to pull away, that feeling that people cared about her, that she was a part of a family. There are a lot of things she wants to say to Emma right now but none of them sum up the image in her mind or that feeling in her heart – that one that says she wants her and Henry here forever. Her problem is that she's scared. Even after yesterday and spending time with Liam her heart still carries old fears and aches and so she's afraid to open her mouth and ask Emma what she felt in case it's the wrong answer. She knows curiosity will get the better of her eventually and she'll ask but for now why ask and possibly ruin everything? Right now both her sons are here and happy. Emma is here with her like she always has tried to be. She doesn't want to lose that.

The two women pass by the boy's rooms in contemplative silence neither one of them willing to be the one to break the ice. Both of them have had complicated pasts to say the least. Conversations about work, confrontations that's easy, that's protecting themselves and keeping their guards up whilst still retaining a connection of sorts. The past few weeks though have awakened them both to something more, something that had been bubbling beneath that surface and threatening to crack through until finally last night it did. It's scary yet safe. It feels for both of them as if they've been on this path so long and they've finally reached their destination, the question is what to do now? They both tried pushing it aside and ignoring it but clearly that hasn't been working, whether they meant to or not they've grown closer and though it may not have been intended neither one wants to go back to the way they were.

Emma sighs wishing her own romantic past, Henry's father and the countless one night stands, wasn't quite so lonesome. The one long term relationship she had ended in betrayal and heartbreak and so she sealed herself off. She knows that bit by bit Regina has wormed her way through and chipped away at her own walls just as she has broken down Regina's but still she feels nervous. She doesn't know how to go about having this conversation, the one about feelings and what it meant. She knows what it meant to her, she knows she wants to do it again, well that and more but she doesn't know how to broach this with the brunette.

For Regina the problem lies in opening up her damaged heart. Henry's in there and so is Liam. They're in there and they've made it better, so much better. With them light returned to her heart and then somewhere along the way Emma worked her way in as well. She's not sure she can pinpoint a moment when it happened, she's not sure this is a distinct moment. After all they've had a back and forth since their first meeting, a confrontational battle that Regina found she craved if nothing else because the blonde challenged her and forced her out of the banal boredom of her cursed existence. Now though it's more. Before her lies everything she wanted, a family and love, she just has to find the bravery to let it in.

Finally after what feels like eons they reach Regina's room. Regina clears her throat breaking the silence before retreating into her closet, "You can choose something to wear" she says to the blonde flashing her a quick smile before disappearing into the bathroom. Emma nods still slightly dazed by the brunette's easy smile and the rush of domesticity the moment incurs. That urge to run though doesn't emerge, instead she drifts over to the closet skimming her fingers through the vast variety of silk in Regina's wardrobe. She smiles to herself as each shirt stirs up memories of the other woman, some good and others from their constant battle to one-up the other from a year ago. She sighs to herself, so much time spent arguing and fighting. Time wasted when they could have been having mornings like this being woken by happy children and sharing breakfast.

Emma smiles before settling on an all too familiar blue-gray shirt. She picks it up remembering how Henry leant it to her before and how she had sheepishly left it in the mayor's office while Regina was away in a meeting. She pauses thinking of how far they've come since that first time. _Enjoy my shirt_ rings in her ears as she turns and takes in Regina's soft plush bedroom. In spite of the simple décor the place still feels like a sanctuary, a haven that Emma has been granted access to. Standing there holding that shirt she feels as if she's been let into a secret circle, a private sphere of the brunette that is softer and unexpected given the walls that guard it. Emma finds that she really doesn't want to be pushed to the outside anymore.

Regina checks herself in the mirror hastily smoothing down her grey skirt and red silk shirt. _Sooner or later you have to go back out there. Just talk to her. What's the worst that could happen? _She could laugh her off or say no. The brunette shakes her head, the thought is terrifying but then she thinks of how Emma responded to that kiss, without thinking she raises her fingers to her own mouth as if she can still feel the ghost of Emma's lips pressed against her own. No, Emma couldn't kiss her like that if she felt nothing right? She steels herself fidgeting with her hands internally cursing her nerves. With a final deep breath Regina re-enters her bedroom feeling her worries disappear upon locking gazes with Emma. Something about seeing the blonde standing there holding that shirt just puts her at ease. They still need to talk but Emma doesn't feel or look out of place here, if anything her room simply looks complete now in a way it never had.

"Do you want the bathroom? I'll just go get started on breakfast" Regina states turning to exit the room.

"Wait Regina" Emma calls. She smiles watching how Regina's hair flips as she whirls around. _Now or never Swan_. She shuts her eyes trying to calm her nerves before walking over to Regina. "Emma?" Regina asks though the question falls away as the blonde kisses her once more. On instinct her arms wrap around Emma's neck, her fingers lacing in blonde curls as their lips connect. Emma smiles into the kiss feeling Regina respond and sliding her tongue in an explorative way across her lip. Emma parts her lips granting Regina access as they stay together feeling all the things they can't admit in words come across in the way the kiss grows and blossoms between them. They slowly pull apart resting their foreheads against the other neither wanting to separate. Emma smiles tracing the brunette's lips including that scar that intrigues her so much with her thumb. Regina grins back as her heart skips and flips in her chest, "So" she says slightly breathlessly.

"So" Emma repeats.

"We really need to talk"

"I know"

"I want to kiss you instead though"

"Me too" Emma replies with a small chuckle.

"I have a compromise if you're open to it?"

"Try me"

"How about we kiss now and talk later?"

"That works for me" Emma says with a giddy grin before giving the brunette a chaste kiss, "However we do have hungry children downstairs and a hungry Emma here"

Regina laughs, the sound a joyful melody to the blonde, "Is that a subtle hint that you would like breakfast Miss Swan?" she asks playfully before pulling away slightly.

"Please?" Emma adds using her version of puppy eyes to try and soften Regina. Regina smiles kissing Emma feeling that happy tingle run through her body again, "Now I know where Henry gets that pleading look. What do you want for breakfast?"

"Food"

Regina chuckles before swaying away from Emma, "Okay Emma. Food coming up" she replies with a grin leaving Emma to change.

* * *

Regina walks into the kitchen to find both her sons in school uniform and she can't help but smile at the scene before her. Henry is currently making toast and buttering it while Liam carefully pours juice into cups. Her smile only broadens as she continues to watch the two boys make breakfast happily chatting to each other about which dinosaur is the best.

"Sharptooths are bigger" Liam states matter-of-factly.

"Yeah but Petrie can fly"

"If you're a Sharptooth you're big. So you can reach the trees. So you don't need to fly" Liam argues back in perfect five year old logic.

Henry laughs, "Alright Liam but flying is fast"

"Sharptooths have big feet so they can run fast"

"True. How do you want your toast?" he asks.

Liam looks up at him not quite getting the question. Henry smiles, "Do you want squares or soldiers?"

"Sholdiers?" Liam asks.

"Yeah" Henry says before lowering his own plate to demonstrate. He remembers how his mother always used to ask him this question even when he refused to answer. She knew the answer anyway. Always soldiers.

"Soldiers please" Liam says taking in the strips of toast.

"Coming up, Mom what do you want?" he asks well aware that they have an audience. He laughs at the blush rising on his mother's face at being caught. "Henry, I was-"

"Snooping?" Henry suggests.

She blushes again and Emma enters the room noticing the lobster red colour of the other woman's cheeks. "Should I ask?"

"Henry caught Mommy spying" Liam explains chewing on his toasty soldiers.

"Regina is this true? Were you a spying Mommy?" Emma asks enjoying the brunette's adorable embarrassment.

"It's true" Henry says. "I think for that she gets squares and not soldiers" he adds smiling at Liam. Liam grins back before saying, "No sholdiers for you Mommy!"

"You hear that Regina. You just got punished" Emma says with an arm around her waist.

"So I have" Regina replies still looking flushed. Emma smiles before pinching her cheeks backing away at the glare Regina shoots her for the gesture. "Go eat your squares Regina. Do I get soldiers?" she asks.

"No"

"Why not?"

"You pinched Mom. I can't let that slide" Henry states giving his blonde mother a knowing look.

Emma rolls her eyes before sitting down next to Regina who sticks her tongue out at her before returning to her toast. Liam gasps, "Mommy you can't do that. You said it was rude!"

"What did she do Liam?"

"She stuck her tongue out at Miss Emma!" Liam says aghast. Regina blushes again before turning to Emma, "I'm very sorry Emma. Can you accept my apology?"

Emma gives a dramatic sigh before smiling at the brunette, "I suppose. You can make it up to me later"

"What does that mean?" Liam asks.

Regina nearly chokes on her toast before recovering and sipping her juice, "She means I'll buy her lunch later as an apology" she explains before shooting daggers at Emma who laughs.

Breakfast passes in a blur of laughter and talk mainly dominated by the two boys. As they eat Emma slowly slides her hand into Regina's beneath the table glad when the action is not rejected. Instead Regina shoots her a small smile before returning her attention to the great dinosaur debate going on across from them. Emma smiles barely paying attention to the conversation, all she can focus on is that hand in hers and the warm joyful feeling this domestic scene gives her. Regina too is only just keeping up, Emma's hand in hers reminds her that whatever this is is real. Yes they need to talk but right now she is more than content to be sitting here next to Emma as they enjoy the meal her sons have provided.

_Next chapter - Emma and Snow talk so do Regina and Granny. Then lunch :) Hopefully I will get it up sooner but I have a short paper due so I need to focus on that first. Always happy to hear what you think. I hope you enjoyed it. Thank you very much for reading :)_


	8. Chapter 8

_This took me much longer than I thought to type up so apologies for the wait, hopefully it's worth it. I actually love this chapter, I had to restrain from crying/squealing as I wrote this in my mother's living room. Apologies for any mistakes. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it :)_

Emma can feel Henry's gaze burning into her and Regina as they make the drive to the school. She wants to say something, she should, but Liam and Regina are happily chattering on about school and what he'll be doing today and she finds that she doesn't want to be the one to inject this blissfully happy moment with tension. Well possible tension. She has a gut feeling as to what Henry suspects and well he isn't wrong. Emma knows she'll be honest with him, they all deserve that much, even if she doesn't really know what she and Regina are calling this thing between them she knows Henry will have picked up on it and he'll want answers. She just hopes he'll accept it. Nerves bubble in her stomach as she anticipates the conversation to come, Henry and Regina are only just beginning to turn their relationship around and she doesn't want that to fall apart before they can heal. And yet even though it's only been a few stolen kisses she knows deep in her heart that she wouldn't be able to end things. _Let's just hope he's okay with this. _

She spies her moment when they pull up outside the school gates. As Regina and the boys begin to exit the car she quickly says, "Wait Henry, can you hold up a sec?"

He nods knowing full well what conversation is coming. _Guess I wasn't as subtle as I thought_. He gets out the car and leans against it watching as Regina shoots Emma a wary look. He smiles watching their silent conversation as Emma squeezes Regina's arm in reassurance before motioning for her and Liam to go on ahead.

Regina gives her a small smile, reassured yet hesitant, in response. Emma's smile and unspoken assurance that it's nothing to worry about soothe her nerves a little and yet she can't help but feel anxious. She takes a deep breath before letting Liam tug her away towards a waving Snow.

"So what's up?" Henry asks scuffing his shoe on the ground as Emma watches the pair walk away, a joy-filled smile on her lips as she observes the free and cheery nature of the brunette around her young son. _So beautiful_ she thinks before steeling her nerves and turning back to Henry.

"Hey kid, um, well your Mom," she stumbles over her words trying to find the best way to start this conversation. When she and Henry have talked it's primarily been about Operation Cobra or small things. The biggest issues have risen up over the last few days but still these types of heavy conversations are still new to her. She sighs hurriedly trying to think of the best way to phrase what she wants to say that isn't _'Henry guess what I kissed your Mom'_.

Henry chuckles to himself before deciding to help his blonde mother out, after all he does have to get to school, "What about Mom?"

Emma smiles nervously, _right now or never_, "Well I like her kid"

"Yeah I know"

"I mean I really like her" she emphasises.

"Yeah I know" he repeats.

"You do?"

"I'm not blind Emma. I've seen how you two look at each other and you were holding hands earlier" he replies with a shrug.

"Oh, well how do you feel about that?" she asks nervously.

He smiles, "I think it's great"

Emma finally lets herself grin in relief and hopeful happiness, "Really kid?"

"Yeah I mean you both make each other happy right? And it means we can all be a family together again, plus it's kind of cool, you know the saviour and the former evil queen"

Emma smiles at him, "Yeah I guess it is" she hadn't even considered that but then again she's never really thought of Regina as the evil queen. To her she's always been Regina, that's what she wants - for them to be Emma and Regina together.

"So what's your next move?"

"What d'ya mean kid?"

"What are you going to do about liking her?" he asks rolling his eyes at her response.

"Um" she murmurs indecisively before Henry shakes his head, "Seriously Ma? You need a plan" he says excitedly.

"I'm not sure it needs a plan kid"

"Okay then what are you going to do?" he asks with an eyebrow raise.

Emma smiles before scoffing, "Okay kid let's not pretend you're the romance master here"

"At least I thought to have a plan" he replies with a cheeky smile and a shrug.

Emma grins, ruffling his hair and pulling him in for a one-armed hug, "Alright smarty-pants, what's this amazing plan then?"

"You have to ask her for a date Ma. Simple" he states decisively. Emma smiles gingerly wishing she had the eleven-year-old's naivety that it was in fact that simple. She hopes it will be easy but it's her and Regina and well things for them have never exactly been simple. This time though she finds she doesn't mind that it will be complicated. This time round it feels worth whatever complications may ensue.

"Yeah kid that simple" Emma says with a small smile. In her head she can already picture their first date. And the one after that. And well definitely the one after that. Hell she can picture so many dates and things she wants to do with Regina. She just has to do the talk part first. At that she sighs, god she hopes this talk won't be as frightening as she thinks it will. She's had relationship talks before but they were with people that even if they'd been together a while she wasn't overly devastated to get the break up discussion. Right now though she feels nervous, she wants Regina to be with her, she thinks Regina feels the same but she'd like to know for sure. She knows either way she won't force the brunette to do anything. They've both been forced in to doing things or pushed in certain directions enough and for Emma what she wants is for this relationship to be a choice they both make, a choice to be happy with each other. She smiles thinking of what they could have, what she hopes will come to pass. She can see her dream, that one of family and love she's clung to for so many years – even when she claimed she didn't need anyone, lingering within her grasp and well she'd be a liar if she said she didn't want it to come true.

"Ma" Henry whispers nudging Emma to pull her from her wistful thoughts and snapping her back to reality, "Sorry kid"

He beams up at her, "You really love her" it's not a question. It's a definitive statement from a boy who knows love when he sees it. In spite of whatever hesitations he may have felt earlier or any fears he may have that look on Emma's face soothes them all. That faraway look in Emma's eyes speaks to him of many things but for him the most important ones are love and hope. It's what they all need, especially his mothers to find salvation in love and happiness, to feel safe and adored, but most importantly of all to be a part of a family.

"Yeah kid I really do" she whispers still thinking of that dream. She gasps realising that she's just admitted out loud what her heart hadn't even admitted to herself. It doesn't scare her. Instead it feels as if a giant weight has been lifted from her chest and has been replaced by that surety that, even if nothing else is clear, she knows how she feels. It's just a matter of putting faith in that love, of taking the jump and voicing it to the one person who needs to hear it. "Regina" she whispers aloud picturing the other woman feeling a grin tug at her lips.

"Yes Emma?" Regina smiles first at the beautiful dreamy expression on the blonde's face and then letting it grow into a chuckle at seeing Emma startle at her presence. "I thought I should come get you" she explains, "School is starting and your mother wants to talk to you"

Emma raises her brow, "She does?"

"Yes dear"

"What about?"

Regina shrugs, "I don't know Emma. She just said she wanted to talk to you so I'd look to her for answers" she says with a playful smile. Henry notes the now teasing cheerful tone compared to the one it would have been a year earlier. Happiness looks good on his brunette mother he thinks before beginning to walk into school. He hugs her without hesitation, "Bye Mom, see you later?"

She looks over at Emma with a hopeful expression which instantly melts the blonde. Add in Henry's puppy eyes and well it's impossible for her to say no, "Sure kid, your Mom owes us a lasagne anyway"

He grins, "Awesome, love you Mom, bye. Good luck Ma!" he yells with a wave as he runs off to join his schoolmates.

"Good luck?" Regina asks clearly curious as to what he and Emma have been discussing while she dawdled on the school steps. Whatever it was she could tell it was a discussion Emma wanted to have with Henry privately and so she gave them that space, she knows now she has to, she is not the only parent anymore and although it has taken far too long she has learned what that means. It means letting Henry spend time with them both and not forcing him to stick too close for fear of losing him.

"Yeah, with Snow" Emma fumbles blushing at the lie as she moves to pass Regina. Their sleeves brush and the blonde's hand slides down to fit into the brunette's. Regina smiles, a soft glow caressing her face, as she feels a gloved hand meet her own. Emma squeezes gently, "I'm sure it's nothing, I'll see you later at Granny's?"

"Granny's" Regina agrees still focussed on that hand anchoring her to this moment. She wants nothing more right now than to pull the blonde in for another kiss and let that do the talking for her. It would be so much easier than words but Emma, she deserves the words. Regina doesn't know all of Emma's history, though one day she hopes to find out, but if it's anything like her own than she hasn't heard the words enough. She has lost count of the moments where she would sit and wish for someone to love her, to tell her she was loved and even if Emma doesn't feel the same way, _gods I hope she does_, she deserves to hear it, to know that she is loved, that she is adored and cherished in this world. Plus she has a feeling that if they do embark on exploring whatever ever this is between them that Emma would rather Snow found out in a better way than her launching herself at the blonde because she couldn't resist, _though resistance is damn hard with that leather jacket, and those curls, and her smile and that blush, Christ Regina get a hold of yourself!_

It's Emma who realises they're still holding hands although not until she looks up and sees her mother watching them with a knowing smile. All of a sudden she becomes very aware of the fingers entwined without them even noticing, of the way their hands fit without any fumbling or awkwardness as if they've found what they were looking for. She meets her mother's eyes and drops that hand instantly regretting it. Her own breath hitches as Regina frowns slightly before following the path of Emma's emerald orbs and flashing her an understanding smile. She settles for meeting those hypnotic eyes with her own before nodding at her, "Have a good talk"

"Thanks" Emma replies still absorbed in gorgeous expressive eyes, "Uhm I'll meet you after this?"

"Don't you have work?" Regina asks knitting her brows together.

"Oh well it's Storybrooke, if something happens they have my number" she replies with a shrug.

Regina scoffs, "I know you have paperwork Emma"

"How can you know that?" Emma challenges.

"You forget I was once your boss dear, I know you have paperwork"

Emma nods, "Yeah but being with you is way more important"

At that it's Regina's turn to blush, she's not used to people choosing her, to viewing her as more important even if it's over something as menial and tedious as paperwork. Her cheeks redden as she struggles to contain her grin before giving in to the blossoming smile on her face, "I'll see you later"

Emma wishes she could keep her a minute longer but she can feel her mother's growing impatience from here so she merely waves at Regina who hesitates taking one last glance at Emma before slowly walking away. She turns about halfway down the street before waving at the blonde who still hasn't moved and has instead been watching the other woman walk. Emma laughs at the adorable hesitance of the action before returning it. She won't make a big deal over this, neither will Regina, they don't have to, they know that the wave no matter how small was a big deal. It was an attempt to keep the connection going, it was Regina listening to her heart and not her head or the voices of her past echoing in there and it was Emma having the courage and knowledge to reciprocate with ease.

She waits until she can no longer see Regina though she does her best to ensure she can keep the brunette in her eye-line for as long as possible. They're only going to Granny's but she knows Regina is still somewhat uncomfortable with being out and about in Storybrooke. Sure she covers it with about fifty layers of bravado and masks but with Emma they've never worked. She has always been able to tell and in spite of the progress Regina has made with Archie, with Granny, with Henry, Liam and herself the town is still getting there in accepting her as one of their own. It's one of the reasons she was so grateful that Snow went round to the mansion and talked to Regina about school, to prove to her that she couldn't just hole herself away, that her and Liam need to be out in the town and be a part of it. She knows that Regina will stick to what she considers safe territory – the diner, the school and the sheriff's station – but hey it's a start. It gets her out there. It gets others used to seeing her as Regina, seeing her as her present self and not framing her in the past.

"Emma!" Snow yells after checking her watch for the twentieth time. She's been watching her daughter stare wistfully after Regina for several minutes now and as adorably obvious as it is she does have a class to teach.

The blonde finally breaks free of her stupor before running over to her mother with a sheepish smile, "Sorry Snow, I got lost in my thoughts I guess" she says with a shrug.

Snow smiles to herself, "Thought or Regina?"

Emma blinks turning bright scarlet, "W-what?" _Does everyone know already? Jeez they could have at least let me know if they did_.

"Emma you're about as subtle as an ogre"

"Gee thanks Mom"

"Hey just saying, so what is going on between you?"

"I don't know"

"Emma, you can tell me"

"I know, I just honestly don't know"

"How?"

"Well we haven't talked yet, we're going to talk now actually" she says with an eager smile.

"And what are you going to say?" It's blatantly obvious that her daughter is head over heels in love with Regina but Snow knows that Emma is also stubborn and fearful, both of which lead to her holding herself back from happiness through the terror that it will only hurt.

"I think I love her" Emma says quietly before looking up to see how her mother is taking this. She wants to be honest with her but truthfully she was anticipating a big argument and repeated reasons as to why this couldn't happen. What she didn't expect was Snow giving her a warm smile before pulling her in for a hug, "Oh Emma, I know you do"

Emma feels tears spring into her eyes at the lack of confrontation and reminders of Regina's past. Instead she's being drawn into a comforting accepting hug and she feels like a daughter. Not the saviour. Not the sheriff. Just a daughter being embraced by her mother.

"Emma honey are you okay?" Snow asks concernedly wiping away the tear that dares to spill out.

"Yeah" she says hastily wiping her eyes mildly embarrassed and surprised by the vulnerable moment, "I just, this was not what I expected"

"You expected more yelling, cursing that sort of thing?" Snow asks with a small laugh.

"Pretty much" Emma replies smiling at her mother's joking tone.

"Emma I love you. You are my child and yes Regina wouldn't have been my first choice but she's your choice. That's what matters"

The blonde grins at the acceptance, at the acknowledgment that this is her choice to make, "Thank you"

"Emma I'm your mother, I will always support you."

"I thought you'd be more surprised"

"I was at first but this has been coming for a while. I saw it as Mary Margaret. I saw it even more as Snow White. As your mother what I saw was that in all this mess there is one person who you always look happy with and that's Regina. You bring out the best in each other, she's not the same woman she was Emma. Every day I see her with you, with Henry or with Liam I see a woman who looks more and more like the one who saved me so many years ago and who taught me what love was. I want that woman to stay Emma and I think with you she can be happy. You can be happy. That's what I want for you Emma. Your happy ending"

"You really think I can have that?" Emma asks quietly. She's never had that kind of faith in true love or happy endings. Now she's rethinking that position.

Snow smiles squeezing her shoulder, "I really do, go Emma, go fight for your happy ending"

Emma grins, "S-Mom, I love you, I'll call you later" she says with a quick wave as she sprints away from her mother who watches while shaking her head and laughing before entering the school.

* * *

Whilst Emma chats to her mother Regina walks into the diner with the intention of securing them a booth. As she enters people look up but this time they don't glare, they just simply return to their meals. That alone keeps the smile on Regina's face. Given how little time has passed since the curse's breaking this is much more than she could ever have expected.

After quickly scanning the eatery she spots an empty booth and proceeds to walk towards it. A foot juts out upon seeing her and sends her toppling to the floor. She hits the linoleum with a heavy thud as her heel snaps and her cheek connects with a table, she can vaguely hear snickering as her cheeks flush with humiliation. She raises her head quickly gingerly holding her now sore face and seeing the culprit, she doesn't recognise them, they're just a pair of errant teens, clearly late for school as well, they stare at her as if waiting for a reaction, waiting for her to blow up and prove that she hasn't changed. "Get out of here" she hears as Granny storms across the diner shooting glares at the two boys, "You don't have the right to act like that in here"

"She's the evil queen" one of them reminds her casually flicking his straw wrapper at his friend.

"She was but right now she is not the one acting poorly. You are the one who tripped another human being who simply wanted to get breakfast. I will not allow such actions to take place in my diner so leave or I call the Sheriff's station"

At that they gulp and hurriedly leave. Granny shakes her head before leaning down and helping Regina up off the ground and into the booth. "Wait here" she commands leaving the other woman to inspect her broken heel with a heavy sigh. _I can't wait until Emma gets here_.

Granny comes back over handing her an ice-pack and placing a coffee in front of the brunette, "You didn't say anything to them" she says placing her hands on her hips.

"And prove to them that I am the evil queen?" Regina asks bitterly.

Granny sighs sliding in across from her, "Regina reacting to people tripping you over for no reason does not make you an evil queen. It makes you a human being worthy of respect and not being treated like that by a pair of idiotic truants"

"I just, I would have but people, they still see me that way. I don't want them to" she explains quietly taking a sip of her coffee wincing at the pain in her cheek.

"Oh honey, listen to me you aren't her anymore, she's a part of your past. You're allowed to be angry, to be mad at people treating you badly"

"I cursed them"

"I know"

"They have enough reasons to lash out at me"

"Regina. Move on. It's your past not your present, certainly not your future. Don't let fear hold you back" she says softly reaching across to squeeze the brunette's hand.

Regina gulps down the sob that threatens to emerge at such compassion and advice, advice she needed "Thank you" she whispers sincerely.

"Anytime Regina"

The younger woman smiles, "Oh I have something for you" she says before hurriedly fishing through her purse and proffering a small photograph to the older woman.

Granny smiles, "Oh it's adorable" she coos looking at the photo Regina made Emma take of Henry and Liam in their uniforms (and their crowns), there are also several with her and with Emma but she wants those. She moves to hand it back but Regina shakes it back, "It's yours"

"Are you sure?" Granny asks watching as the other woman smiles hesitantly before taking a deep breath, "You just, you believed in me, aside from Emma you're the only one who always had and you take care of me. I just want to thank you for that" she speaks quietly averting her gaze afraid to meet the other woman's eyes for fear she has overstepped here. After all her own mother would have loved at such an offering and mocked the explanation that came with it. Her own mother would have taken one look at what she has now and razed it all to dust. She sniffs back a sob wondering why her mother couldn't have loved her or cared for her the way Granny does.

Granny frowns before moving round to the other side of the booth, "Regina?" she asks taking the younger woman's hands in her own.

"I just, my mother" the thought trails off into silent sobs that wrack through Regina's body.

"Oh come here" she whispers sliding into the seat and pulling Regina in for a hug, she pats the other woman's back, "I know Regina what kind of woman she was. You deserved better, you do deserve better"

"And you?" Regina asks quietly her head buried into Granny's shoulder.

"I want to be there for you Regina. If you need me you can come to me, you know that right?" the brunette nods, "I know" she affirms quietly.

Granny smiles kindly at her letting the other woman hold on for as long as she needs. Regina is still in her arms when Emma walks in hurriedly searching for the brunette. She frowns upon finding her and practically runs over. Ignoring Granny's knowing look she tilts Regina's chin up, "Regina? What happened?" she asks lightly grazing her fingers over the purpling bruise on a soft cheek.

"It doesn't matter" Regina assures her as leans in to the touch. Both women forget about the older woman still holding Regina in a hug as they simply stare at each other as Emma continues caressing the brunette's face.

Granny coughs causing them to finally separate so she can get up and leave them to it. "Regina, remember what I said, don't let fear hold you back" she says with a pointed look at Emma before smiling at Regina and exiting the booth. Regina nods and returns the smile as Emma slides into Granny's now vacated seat next to the brunette.

"You know dear it's customary to sit across from one another"

Emma blushes, "I know but I want to be here, next to you"

That says it all for Regina whose face lights up in an ecstatic grin as her heart somersaults, she remembers Granny's advice, _ screw fear_, it's time to take a chance, to go for the things she wants. She took a chance with Henry and in spite of the last year she knows it turned out well. With Liam her chance has turned out even better. She has love and happiness. It's time to put the evil queen to bed, to stop her past from threatening her future. She leans in to Emma looping her arms around the blonde's waist before kissing her gently, she smiles pulling away capturing those lips once more.

"Regina we're in public" Emma says though she clearly doesn't care. She subconsciously raises her fingers to her lips running her thumb over the path soft lips travelled. She swears she can still feel a buzz there.

"I don't care. Emma I'" she takes a deep breath before searching out Emma's eyes, "I love you. I want this, us, to happen. I want you. I choose you"

_I want you. I choose you_. Emma gasps with joy at those words. They're everything she's ever wanted to hear in life, to know that she is someone's first choice. Her face almost cracks from the smile that plasters her cheeks. Happy tears spring into her eyes as she draws the brunette in closer to her. Words fail her and she lets her lips do the talking. Lips meld together as they gasp and moan into the kiss and hold of the other. Tongues battle in exploration before performing a synchronised dance. Somewhere in the far off distance of the diner people are talking, gasping in shock, Ruby wolf-whistles as Granny watches with a pleased smile.

All Regina hears is the pop of Emma's lips as she reluctantly parts them so she can whisper, "I love you"

_Next chapter will be much more family oriented as they shall go to therapy together with Archie and then some fluff :) I'm always happy to hear what you think. Hopefully you enjoyed it. Thanks for reading :)_


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